Each and every day I learn something new about myself that I would not have if I had stayed where I was comfortable. This internship has been a huge learning experience, even outside of work.
Below, I’ve highlighted some of the main things that I have learned about myself while Interning Abroad.
You have to ask for what you want
I have really struggled with this one, but slowly I am learning that other people cannot read my mind. I cannot get upset when situations do not turn out as I expect or the way I want them to go, if I do not express what it is that I am looking for. Living in a new country, with a new family, and new friends, has pushed me outside of my comfort zone and taught me that communication is the key to all types of relationships in life.
My favorite feeling in the entire world is right before take-off
It might sound silly, but I love the few seconds of uncertainty when you are sitting on a plane and you have no idea when you are actually going to take off. To me, it is the feeling of excitement and adventure. It is my absolute favorite part of traveling!
You can only get lost if you know where you are going
When I decided to go intern abroad, I didn’t have a plan and that was very stressful for me (I am a little bit type A haha). I spent the first two months spending time with my host family or working on homework, but this past weekend I decided to go to London! It was amazing, yet nerve-wracking. I am the MOST direction-ally challenged person ever. I didn’t have a plan when I arrived other than I wanted to do it on my own to prove that I could. So I spent about an hour or so wandering around attempting to read a map (such a fail) and stumbled upon my hotel by accident. It was the most freeing experience ever. By the end of my trip, I could get anywhere I wanted to go.
Enjoy the moment
I have always had the tendency to live for the future (and sometimes in the past), but this internship has taught me to appreciate the present a lot more. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Going to London on my own was a huge deal for me, and now I have several more places over the next couple of years that I would like to see. Mostly though, I have learned to try to live more for the moment and less for the future.
– Katie May, Indiana State University
