What studying abroad meant to me.

I'm back in the United States and my summer in England has ended. So much has happened that I cannot even begin to describe what this experience meant to me, and honestly, I don't think I'll ever know just how much studying abroad has affected me. Because it's so much more than taking classes in a foreign country or making new friends or living in an exciting city. It's how placing yourself in a distant point on a map completely transforms your personality, lifestyle and mentality, all for the better. I could write forever on why studying at the University of Leeds was the greatest time of my life, so here's my attempt at conveying just how much I learned about myself and the world around me:

The amazing friends that I made taught me that the best people are the genuine ones. Never try to be anything that you're not because you can and will make friends, no matter what country or situation you're in. On my first night in Leeds, I let my guard down and was my goofy, extroverted self, and you know what, I had one of the best nights of the trip bonding with people I now call my best friends. Don't be afraid to be yourself, it's just not worth it.

Speaking of letting your guard down, I learned that you have to be vulnerable. There is a peace and a freedom that comes with opening your heart up to others and not being afraid of what might happen. We all pursue meaningful relationships, and for the first time, I was completely open with my emotions. I wore my heart on my sleeve and didn't pretend to be indifferent when I wasn't out of fear of rejection. And guess what, it payed off, because I have some pretty spectacular memories with certain people simply because I didn't play games with them about how I felt. Studying abroad instilled that confidence in me.

The fact that I only had four weeks in Leeds made me completely aware that you have to make the most out of the time you're given. Life is short. Period. I love the saying that you won't remember whether or not you got a good night's sleep five years from now; forget whatever's holding you back and just do everything you possibly can because the opportunity will end.

I learned that you not only have to be open-minded but that it's truly the best way to go about life. I was able to converse with those of differing opinions about my religion, morals and beliefs without being judged because we all approached the situation with pure curiosity and respect. You wanna talk about being a global citizen? Try listening to others, it works.

In a very paradoxical sense, I learned that, in fact, it is a small world after all, yet you have a very small place in it. It was so neat to be able to bond with people from completely different cultures so quickly, but it hit me pretty early on that the details of my life aren't all that important. It may sound disheartening, but this very humbling fact is quite important. The world turns regardless of what's going on in your life, so don't be a diva and get on with your issues because they are irrelevant to 99.99% of the population.

I gained the invaluable knowledge that I am a much more independent person than I give myself credit. Studying abroad requires quite a bit of courage, but the benefits of self-awareness make it all worthwhile. Be bold, make decisions for yourself and take chances because finding out who you are in this world makes life so much more bearable.

I realized that the world is a truly glorious place. You need to go somewhere that looks, feels, tastes, smells and sounds different from your home. You need to walk in the same steps of those who lived a thousand years before you and have your mind blown because it hasn't changed that much since then. You need to witness a physical object, whether it be a painting or a church or garden, that makes you cry because it's so beautiful. And you need to realize that we are so lucky to be on this planet because despite all the terrible things going on in this world, you are here in this foreign land, experiencing the wonder of life. I have never felt so alive nor had so many times where I'd just stop in my tracks, look around, and thank God for being young. For the ability to take in a moment and just revel in it, knowing that it will eventually pass so you have to appreciate it while it's still there. For praying with all your heart that you can soak in every last ounce of a memory because whatever happened was so perfect and wonderful that you want to have it with you forever. For being so blissfully happy about a small, miniscule occurrence and treating it like it was the best thing to ever happen because those you're with made it that amazing. For being so full of emotion that the only people who understand are those you're experiencing it with, giving you a connection that never dies. For loving a group of people so much that, even after four weeks together, parting with them is as hard as a break-up: that nauseous, hopeless feeling that no amount of tears or hugs can cure. And for having so wonderful many stories to tell that you don't know where to begin because words or pictures don't do the memories justice. 

Thanks and gig 'em,

Rachel

Our Last Hooray

I'm sitting in the Manchester Airport right now, waiting for a plane to take me to Heathrow and then on to Houston. Because I don't want to burst into tears, I'm just going to recount our last two, amazing, spectacular, fantastic nights in Leeds and address the sappy stuff later.

How cool is our teacher, Alice?!

Sweet Jemma

On Friday evening after our day trip to Haworth, the entire Leeds International Summer School got together one last time for a Farewell Dinner. We all got dressed up and went into town for a three-course meal at the delicious restaurant, Giraffe. For three hours, we laughed and cried (a lot): our wonderful Program Directors, Clare and Gill, both said a few words about how amazing this time has been, we all gave our stupendous Social Assistants countless rounds of applause and hugs for their hard-work and invaluable friendships they've provided us with and several students spoke and even sang. (A group of people saw Wicked in London, so two girls sang "For Good", which made us all teary-eyed it was so beautiful). Even though many of us weren't leaving until Sunday, we were all aware that this was the last time we'd all be together as one unit. And it was quite heartbreaking.

Brittany, Beth and Kathryn: three beautiful ladies.

Luckily, we are all very fun, cheerful people who recognize that having fun is much better than being sad, so we all approached the night with a celebratory disposition rather than a mournful one. At the dinner, there was more laughter than tears, and since none of us wanted the night to end, we went to the same Karaoke Bar we had gone to a few weeks earlier and had a great time. Highlights include Ken and Beth's Eminem showdown and Clare's adorable Queen serenade. It was simply brilliant. We then made our way to a bar called the Smokestack, which absolutely takes the prize for the coolest club I've been to: they only play old music and the mood is very old-fashioned, speakeasy-esque, yet it was such a lively and energetic vibe that couldn't be matched. When we got back in the wee hours of the morning, several of us hung out in the common room, playing games, telling stories and just enjoying each others company. We even participated in what we Aggies call "pond hopping" (to everyone else, it's just getting into the fountains on campus). There is a giant one at the University of Leeds, and part of our "LISS Bucket List" included going in it. The water was freezing so we just stood inside for a few minutes, but it was worth getting to say we accomplished splashing around in the fountain. By then, the sun had come up and it was a new day, much to our disappointment.

I have so much love for these people!

Anna and Emma en route to the Run

That afternoon consisted of a tearful goodbye to Jodie and Beth, two of my favorite Australians, and us getting ready for that night. We all wanted to go out with a bang, so our group of friends decided it would be fun to go on the Otley Run, Leeds's famous pub crawl. (They all participated in it a couple weeks earlier while I was in London, so this was my first time). Traditionally, your group dresses up to a theme, and we decided to pretend to be a "Hen Party" (what England calls a Bachelorette Party). Making it even sillier, Carwyn, one of our social assistants, played the role of "Bride".....We all made t-shirts with our respective roles in the wedding party on the back and got a person from each bar to sign them -- definitely a fun souvenir! Needless to say, the night was eventful, and it couldn't have been a more perfect way to end our time in Leeds. It's nights such as those that make me appreciate being young: when I look back on my twenties, I can smile and reminisce on crazy-fun times like Saturday's and know that I am one lucky girl. I got to spend my last hours in the city I love with the people I love, and I'll never forgot the memories we made. 

The best friends anyone could ever ask for.

Thanks and gig 'em,

Rachel

PS- My next post is going to be a tear-jerker; I just have to bring myself to write it. Prayers appreciated...

Bronte Pilgrimage

Our last week in class was absolutely amazing! I've been taking a course on English literature and the Bronte sisters, so naturally it's been extremely interesting. The University of Leeds has an amazing Special Collections of ancient texts: we got to view several 18th century books in the Country Houses class, but this week were able to see some mind-blowing Victorian pieces. I was freaking out because there were letters from Oscar Wilde, Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens, as well as miniature, hand-written books by Branwell and Emily Bronte and the crown jewel of the Brotherton Library at Leeds, the first edition of Shakespeare's complete works. Needless to say, I was in awe.

Letter from Oscar Wilde

1st edition of Shakespeare's plays

Branwell Bronte's miniature books

On Friday, we took a day trip to Haworth, the village where the Brontes lived and wrote their timeless novels. Their father's parsonage is now a museum run by the Bronte Society and displays their furniture, clothing, drawings, etc. It was so neat to get to walk around the house and see where and how they lived. Jane Eyre is my favorite book, so I was very grateful to be in the same rooms as Charlotte when she wrote it. It's opportunities like this that make me value studying abroad so much: you are able to stand where they stood and soak in all the wonder. We also got to eat some delicious (and cheap) fish and chips, and then we walked around the very charming village, goofing off and making the most of our last day of class.

Haworth crossing

The cutest local, Oscar!

If you've ever read Wuthering Heights, you know that the moors play a huge part in the story. When Emily Bronte wrote the novel, she was inspired by her home, so we took a hike up the moors to see exactly what she meant. It was absolutely breathtaking, both literally and metaphorically: the hike was quite tiring, but it was so worth it because the views were unmatched. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day, and to be out on the moors was truly a blessing. I had such a lovely time taking in the amazing views and being with my friends and wonderful teacher, Alice: it was a glorious day to say the least.

Thanks and gig 'em,

Rachel