We are nearing the month and a half/two month marker of our four month semester abroad. The adventures have already accumulated to something truly unfathomable. If you would have told me of these adventures a few months ago, I would never believe that I would so soon be fulfilling them. We have certainly reached the time where we all groan when someone mentions that so much time has already passed. Everything is merely at our fingertips, and for that to be so quickly stripped away from us in early-December is quite tragic.
Though I am deeply content that I have this opportunity to be here, it seems that time is always in the way. Whether my time is consumed by school work (yes, to those who wonder, we do actually have classes..) or rudimentary tasks such as grocery shopping, I’m thrown into an internal debate of how to spend my time.
Of course, time is not the only factor of importance when traveling. Money, unfortunately an inexpendable resource, is always on my mind. While Vienna is much cheaper than some other cities I could have chosen for studying, it is bh no means dirt cheap. A warm chocolate croissant here, a “heiße schokolade” there, it all adds up in the long run. Fortunately from working with a catering company during the scorching summers of my high school years, I’ve been doing okay… However, this is one factor where time seems to make it worse. 4 months of piled on expenses can be rather stressful to a hopeless romantic when it comes to money.
Another stressful factor is the fact that my Wake Forest life and identity are at a halt here. What seemed so important there is now petty and on the back burner here. So while I know my mind should be preparing and applying for summer internships, as well as checking for classes and major/minor credit hours, I am struggling to get myself in the habit. Doesn’t a trip to picnic on the Schonbrünn sound so much better?!
Again, don’t get me wrong. All of these factors, stressful as they may be, have yet to truly hinder my experience abroad. I have certainly fallen in love with abroad; the way it makes me feel, the freedom, the independence, and the lessons I’ve learned. It is an invaluable experience. I can already assure I will be that annoying girl who talks endlessly about abroad once I return (sorry friends, I’ll keep it to a minimum…?) Being homesick comes and goes in waves, but I’m already a month and a half in, so it won’t be too long!
