Aina Kapas: What Happens Abroad Doesn’t Stay Abroad

So I cheated a little. I just read the letter that I wrote to myself before leaving for this semester abroad just to remind myself what it is I wanted to accomplish while here. I’ve been having some issues with some people back at home so I wanted to know what the “old Aina” would have done.

Overall I reminded myself to not sweat the small stuff, something I try to tell myself everyday and to leave with no regrets. Everything good or “bad” I did, I obviously did it for a reason and it made me happy at the time so I shouldn’t have to apologize for it or think twice about whether I should have done it or not.

This experience is for me and no one else and many people at home may not understand, but you can’t expect them too unless they’ve been through something similar. I remember I was terrified of the fact that everything is going to be different once I go back home, but I have to realize that change is inevitable and not necessarily a bad thing. Everything happens for a reason so look at things in a positive light.

This experience really is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you really need to appreciate and embrace every moment you get. Sometimes I feel like it’s kind of an alternate reality. That once I go home things will go back to the way they were so I might as well live it up and do things I’ve always wanted to do but was too afraid. Like I’m terrified of heights and I jumped off a cliff into a waterfall about a month ago. I would probably never have even had the opportunity to do that back at home. Hopefully I will be able to take some of this “dare devil” attitude of mine back home with me.