When I arrived back in the United States after a Spring semester abroad, everyone was asking me the same question: "What was your favorite part about your trip?"
Although this question was to be expected, it threw me off. I started thinking about how using the word “trip” did this experience a tremendous amount of injustice. For myself and many others, my time abroad wasn’t just a trip—it was five breathtaking, magical months of putting my life in the U.S on hold and making a new home for myself on the other side of the world. It was stepping out of my comfort zone, living away from friends and family, breaking through language barriers, and embracing a new culture entirely different from my own.
And my favorite part? I had just spent the last five months exploring four beautiful countries and a dozen new cities. I had no idea how I was supposed to pick a single memory from the countless amount I had made. So I didn’t. Instead of naming a country I explored, an excursion I went on, or a pagoda I climbed, I told them about the people I met.
“You just spent an entire semester abroad in Asia and the first thing that comes to mind are the people you traveled with?" Absolutely.
The places you go are just that: places. Pins in a map, checks off your bucket list. Sure, there are plenty of beautiful places to see in this world, but traveling to these destinations is not half as magical if you don't have the right company. In my time abroad I learned that it's all about the company you keep—the vibes you give off are the vibes you attract, so make sure they're positive ones.
Of course I had hoped I would make a few friends during the semester, but I had no idea that the friendships I made would be friendships I would cherish for the rest of my life. The friendships that are formed abroad are drastically different than the friendships that are formed at home. For those of you out there who have had a similar experience, I know you understand. For those of you who haven't, I hope some day you will.
I was lucky enough to be thrown together with 12 other students from all over America, left with no other choice than to go out and explore together. We shared experiences that were so breathtakingly-perfect, they really did feel too good to be true. There were no bad days—not even food poisoning could bring us down. There were a variety of moments where I felt like I was living a dream, someone needed to pinch me, although I knew I didn't want to wake up from this.
It was moments like this where we would do reality checks, constantly reminding each other to be present in the here and now. They would say, “Sophie, where are you right now?” I would yell, “I'm riding a bike through the mountains of Sapa, Vietnam!” or “I'm kayaking in the Andaman Sea in Krabi!” or my all time favorite response, “I'm standing on top of a pagoda in Bagan, Myanmar watching the sunrise!”
All of these instances were moments I know I could never forget, but these experiences wouldn't be nearly as perfect without my travel buddies. Before you know it, you’ve developed friendships with a stronger bond than you knew was possible. I started thinking to myself, "How have I gone 19 years of my life without these people by my side?"
It’s not where you are, but who you are with that’s important. They taught me how to appreciate the little things in life and how important it is to surround myself with other positive, like-minded people. They taught me what pure happiness feels like. They showed me that home isn't the house you grew up in. Thanks to all of these beautiful souls, a piece of my heart will always be in Thailand—the place that became so much more than home to me.