As I walked with all my luggage, struggling with the weight and size of my bags, towards my family waiting just beyond the arrival gate, I remember thinking to myself: did I just do that? Was the last four months real? Did I really live in a foreign country?  As I reflect on my time abroad this fall semester I struggle to put my experience into words because sometimes I think that it was all just a dream. I find it hard to put into words the beauty of the Italian countryside and what it was like to eat real Italian pizza. I cannot even begin to explain what it was like to stand in front of Michelangelo’s David and how awestruck I was when I first saw it. I think the best part about studying abroad is all the memories you make and that they will always be with you; pictures can fade and souvenirs can break but your memories will always be with you.

I also think about the impact this experience has and will have on my life. I can honestly say that by studying abroad I learned a lot about myself. One can learn a lot about themselves when placed in a foreign country knowing nothing about the language and customs. I think that is probably the most important thing about studying abroad: you learn not only about another country, another way of life, but about yourself and that is imperative for college students. Also, by studying abroad I know that I made a smart first step in planning my future because this will help me in the real world when I start looking for a career.

I never thought I would be able to study abroad because of the cost but through hard work, the support of my family and the wonderful scholarship SAI awarded I was able to make a dream come true. I thank all the people that have helped students like me with the cost by their generous contributions. Without that help many of us would miss out on an amazing opportunity to live and study in another country.