I have been putting off my pre-departure blog because it floods me with many emotions. I am so excited for this immersive experience in another culture by trying new food, meeting new people, and learning how another culture approaches everyday activities. I am also a little nervous to live independently in a foreign environment, a bit scared of doing something culturally incorrect, and sometimes a bit anxious about the unknown surrounding the upcoming semester. However, I am very grateful for this opportunity and look forward to the experience. I am excited to see if Londoners are individualistic or collectivistic like me, but my guess is that they’re going to be individualistic but more collectivistic than America.
I would define myself as a collectivistic person more than an individualistic person. I think this because I consider myself a caring, compassionate, understanding, open-minded, and curious person. I consider this to be an advantage while going abroad because most Americans are individualistic since that is what our culture and society teach us. This is due to the fact that from a young age we are told that if we do our best and work hard then we will succeed. As a result of our individualistic society and belief in furthering ourselves, I believe many other cultures view Americans as arrogant and unapproachable when we travel to other countries and visit different cultures than ours. I look forward to interacting with Londoners and showing them that not all Americans fit that stereotype. We can be warm, caring, and approachable. Another advantage that I have is that I am a big believer in if you want to learn about a place, its history, and its culture, then you have to go, learn, and experience it first hand.
Even though I have these advantages, I also know that I will have disadvantages. One disadvantage being that I have never lived in a city, let alone a big city. Learning to navigate, function, and thrive in the big city will be a huge adjustment for me. This adjustment scares me the most because I will be so far from home and have no safety net of friends and family because I am going abroad without truly knowing anyone. I hope that these fears are overcome by what I believe are my advantages.
Knowing that there are advantages and disadvantages to my study abroad is similar to changes in life. I will roll with the punches and try to make the best of it all. What I do know is that my study abroad experience will help me grow as a person and broaden my view of other cultures.
