Studying
abroad comes with a lot of goodbyes and a many more hellos. Like they
always said to me growing up, “one door closes and another door opens.”
Although I still have the rest of the summer to enjoy my time on this
beautiful campus, each day I realize how few days I actually have left
here.
I have grown to love Fayetteville to the point that even going
back home to my home of 18 years prior feels rather odd. Between calling
the hogs at every football game dressed to impress yet still smothered
by the heat, to hearing the Old Main bell while strolling from class to
class, and even maneuvering my way up the 90 degree hills and around the
immense amount of construction, I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere
else.
Leaving Kansas City in high school and coming to the town of friendly southerners who, I would like to mention do say “y’all” quite too often, was a strange thought at the time. Saying goodbye to the world I had spent 18 years in and saying hello to an unknown, yet breathtakingly beautiful city was a rather nerve wracking thought.
Looking back I have grown a lot since the day I stepped into my college dorm as they handed me the keys and I said goodbye to everything I had once known so well. I have grown to love change and I have grown to embrace the change. I met new people with different backgrounds who shared with me their life stories that completely contrasted my experiences as a teen. I have learned to accept and even embrace the rather strange dialogue they use down in the south. I find myself never wanting to leave Fayetteville. This once strange city has become nothing more than another home to me.
The interesting part in all of this is that leaving the college town I have grown accustomed to will be quite similar to my experience leaving my parents house two years ago. Joy fills my heart and excitement follows, yet I still don’t feel as if I am prepared to handle another life change. Like I said before, “one door closes and another door opens.” Like leaving Kansas City for Fayetteville, I know that leaving Fayetteville for Costa Rica will be my next best decision.
At this point I have acknowledged that I will never feel fully prepared for what is in store for me for the next 5 months but that is how it is supposed to be. It is almost time for me to learn what it takes to become a “Tica” and study the beautiful Spanish language. I have always wanted to go abroad and I can’t believe the countdown to leave is beginning.
Costa Rica will eventually become my new accustomed to home (a rather intimidating thought that may be) but a very pleasant one it is. As I embrace my final months I have left walking on this beautiful campus I plan to take in every last detail of the home I have grown to love. While I mentally try to prepare myself for the large culture shock soon to come, I will remember that life is supposed to be an adventure and Costa Rica is only the first step of my adventure on this beautiful planet Earth and I cannot wait!
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Read more from Rachel at https://rachelscostaricanlife.wordpress.com/
Find out more about the ISA Heredia, Costa Rica: Business, Spanish Language, Latin American Studies & Courses with Locals program at http://studiesabroad.com/heredia
