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Leaving the Country for the First Time Left More of an Impact Than I Imagined

Traveling during the holidays is typically a nightmare, filled with crowded sites, busy airports, and a delayed flight or two. However, my recent travel experience to Rome this past December was anything but nightmarish; instead, it was life changing.

I have been struggling with the idea of studying abroad. I had never left the country, I am very close with my friends and family, and I feel like traveling is enough for me (or so I thought). Before my departure to Rome, I was pretty set on not going abroad. The idea went back and forth in my head for many months, even years, and I came to the conclusion that I just wasn’t ready. This December, when I embarked on my first big trip, everything I thought I knew was thrown out the window.

Upon touching down in Munich, my layover before officially hitting Rome, I was struck with the travel bug. Although some may say a 10 hour flight with an egregious time change and a layover in the middle of the night isn’t ideal, I was amazed at the differences and complexities of another country. The little things that well-seasoned travelers don’t even think about like customs, airport menus, even bathrooms, I found to be totally intriguing. Even with a maximum of three hours of sleep and not nearly enough food, I was ready to take on the day.

About 24 hours after leaving SFO, we had made it to Rome! We dropped off our bags and just began walking around the town. I fell in love with the cobblestone roads, the scent of fresh pastries and pasta in the air, and the crowds of people all seeming to be doing what we were doing: adventuring.

Rome is particularly special during New Years as they celebrate with tons of fireworks in the main square and on the bridge connecting Trastevere to the more central parts of Rome. Feeling the culture of locals celebrating while lighting fireworks, singing and dancing with friends, and bar hopping was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I'm yearning to feel again.

Now that some time has passed, everything I thought about wanting to study abroad has flipped. I have taken the opportunity to sign up and I will be in London this March learning about new cultures and experiencing new adventures. Thanks to my eye-opening trip to Rome, I have new adventures to plan and look forward to with a changed perspective. Rome showed me I can fall in love with a place instantly, but being in London for 10 weeks will test my ability to build a life in a foreign country.

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