Written by: Cody Estep | Spring 2023
ISEP Exchange in Belfast & Northern Ireland
I chose to study abroad in Europe because of the possibilities for travel. Being in Europe opens up countless possibilities for travel. Possibly the biggest change I still have not gotten used to is that sights a nd cities that used to feel so far away were now close enough to hop between over short breaks. For most of my life, I had simply accepted that France was at least a fourteen-hour flight away (not to mention the expense of crossing the ocean). Now I find myself only a short two-hour flight away from the same place. How could I not take advantage of this amazing opportunity?
However, the largest challenge I have run into has been trying to find friends to travel with. There are a number of roadblocks for travelling, not unknown to myself, that prevent people (especially locals) from travelling as much as I intended to while over here. Friends I have met have familial responsibilities and financial limitations. While I have budgeted and saved for this specific purpose, they are more accustomed to life in Europe and have also previously seen many of the locations I have been waiting to see. This feels extremely disheartening.
If I am truly honest, I never saw myself as much of a traveller. Moving to Indianapolis from my hometown in Colorado was stressful enough, let alone moving across the Atlantic Ocean. Before now, most of my travel experience came from across the US. It is incredibly intimidating to even consider exploring a brand new place alone, especially a place that doesn’t primarily speak English. But something I’ve learned throughout this experience is that nothing is insurmountable. Nothing.
All it takes is a small moment of confidence. I thought to myself, here I am in Europe. For the first time in my life with real agency and the money to go anywhere I want. I was only missing one thing: a group of friends to complete my dreams of world travel.
When you go abroad, whether you go with friends or alone, you have to think about what you want from the experience. I was thinking about this from the moment I was accepted into the program. Did I want to go along with friends from America or did I want to embark into the unknown on my own? Did I want to go to an English-speaking country or not? I considered what I wanted. I wanted to see the world. So, I packed my things and went out on my own. I never realized what a freeing experience it could be.
Making friends abroad is hard. I mean, making new friends in any situation is hard, but possible. However, spending time with yourself can be incredibly rewarding. My first solo trip was to the Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland. It is a sight popularized by the television series “Game of Thrones.” It was only a few hours from my university, but was far more challenging to get there then I could ever imagine. After taking a train, a bus, a cab, and then grabbing a ride with a friendly local, I finally made it. At the end of the trip, all I could think about was that I did that. I have always been extremely independent but now I am halfway across the word from any support system I had built, and I had just travelled across a foreign country completely on my own. From there I began to expand my realm of travel to the South of France and Spain. Although not completely alone throughout this entire experience, I have had to learn a myriad of new skills and confidences in myself. I have made countless connections with friendly locals anywhere I go and experienced real life in a number of unique countries.
Though it maybe isn’t ideal. I certainly am not living an idealized film of a life. But then again, who does? Life is simply a series of challenges and our experience is comprised of how we respond to said challenges. These past few months I attacked each roadblock head on, not always with unbridled confidence but with the understanding that no matter what happened I would make it out with a new experience under my belt and an even better story to tell when I return home.
My point is, be afraid. It’s what drives us. The feeling of fear and passion combined is powerful within us. Its motivating more than anything else. But do not let those feelings squander your desire to do something amazing. The world is larger than I ever thought it could be. There are more people than I could, personally, ever imagine. I thought I had everything figured out, but nothing could have been more wrong. So, travel. Try new things. Take risks. You can be the wind beneath your own sails and accomplish all of your goals on your own terms. It is possible. Trust me, its worth it.