"A Playlist for the Highs (and Lows) of Study Abroad" by Kevin Zalinsky
The benefits of study abroad are well known and well documented. A quick search on Google will turn up articles with titles like “Studying Abroad Changed My Perspective on Life,” “A Decade Later, Study Abroad is Still Changing My Life,” and “Studying Abroad Changed My Life Forever.” Wow. How are you supposed to feel if your own study abroad experience doesn’t live up to the expectations set by these hyperbolic articles? Your experience might be nothing at all like those of these strangers: great but not life-changing; good; or just okay. And that’s okay! Life is not a glowing blog post or filtered and perfectly staged Instagram pic. I think it’s important to not compare ourselves to others, especially not to strangers on the Internet, and to always try to temper our expectations. If you go into this expecting your own (hopefully cooler) Eat Pray Love, you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment.
My opinion, as a stranger on the Internet, is that study abroad actually is a wonderful experience that has the potential to change your perspective for the better. The sights I’ve seen, the things I’ve learned, and the friendships I’ve forged will stay with me for a very long time. I love my host family, who treated me like their long-lost son and brother from the moment we met. But this experience has not been without its difficulties. I’ve been homesick. I’ve missed drinking my favorite coffee out of my favorite mug. I’ve felt frustrated after studying grammar for hours only to forget the verbal noun for measure eight (I forgot it again just now). I’ve attempted conversations in Arabic only to be met with bewildered stares that seem to say “What language is that?” I’ve been too hard on myself for not knowing this word, or mispronouncing that word, or slipping into English when I just don’t know how to express something in Arabic. I’ve been tired, hot, sweaty, and cranky – sometimes all at once!
That’s why I made this Spotify playlist. To remind myself that I’m an amazing human being, that I’m worthy of this experience, that these hardships are only temporary, and that I’ll always get right back on my feet. Grammar won’t keep me down! So if you, a stranger on the Internet, ever find yourself studying a difficult language in an unfamiliar environment and maybe not feeling so hot, I hope my playlist puts a smile on your face and reminds you exactly who you are. You’re awesome, never forget it.
You can listen to Kevin’s playlist on Amideast Education Abroad’s Spotfiy https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5iW9DOOBL1MbbSpteR3Brq?si=c75f4085a6f74008
