It's time to leave it all behind

I'm on a boat, there's an icebergFour months ago I could never have even begun to think about experiencing that which I have in the past semester. Good times, bad times, lord I've had my share, but all in all this has been a completely worthwhile experience that I would recommend to all contemplating whether or not to go on a study abroad program.

Some of the best moments on my trip came from escaping the group mentality of NYU and venturing out into the world by myself. Whether meeting argentine people in random bars and clubs throughout the city, or hopping on a bus of which I had no clue of the direction it was heading, getting out and experiencing life in Buenos Aires provided me with the most worthwhile experiences. The program is somewhat structured to keep you within the group, whether through housing or through the academic center, but by leaving the group behind I discovered a lot more about my own being as well as the city to which I called home for four months. I also think traveling outside of Buenos Aires by myself provided me with some of the most amazing moments on my trip. When the only person you have to rely on is yourself, it can be quite scary, but also quite rewarding. Though Buenos Aires is a fantastic city with plenty of places to offer for any kind of traveler, getting out and seeing what existed beyond the metropolis made me appreciate what I had within it. Though it can be nerve wrecking to get on a 14 hour bus ride to a random city you have never been to before in the middle of the countryside in Argentina, once you get there the feeling is indescribable. Whether river rafting in Mendoza, glacier touring in Calafate or getting soaked by waterfalls in Iguazu, I had much better times on the road than staying put in my surroundings.

The staying put and just living in Buenos Aires made me encounter some of the greatest problems I faced. At times I got so caught up in thinking about life after BA that I couldn't just enjoy my time abroad. As terrible as that sounds, one can only fully realize the impact it has on you when it happens to you. I think part of this problem stemmed just from my own anxieties and fears, but the majority of it came from the fact that I'm graduating next semester. I think I would have had a much greater appreciation for my time abroad if I had gone during my junior year. The fact that I face so many unknowns facing ,e when I get back to the US left me never wanting to leave my apartment in Buenos Aires at times. Looking back with just a couple days to go, I would have told my past self to stop being such a pansy and to think about the fact that I may never live in another country again for the rest of my life. But you can't change the past, you can only learn from it....so in looking towards the future I will try not to get so caught up in my insecurities.

Being able to blog about myself weekly really enabled me to reflect on what was happening during my trip. Sometimes just writing things down can provide you with the power to analyze and understand exactly what you are experiencing in a given time in a given place. "The Art of Travel" course is a great way to give permanent existence to fleeting memories and moments in time. I know I will look back years from now and laugh at my writing, laugh at my perspective on life and for that I'm very thankful.

I think it is my duty to tell others just what the program in Buenos Aires is like. The staff are very helpful and really make you feel at home, However, the classes here are just terrible. They had no direction, no greater meaning in the world of education and they made me feel like I was wasting money on schooling that was below NYU standards. Though some professors are quite intelligent and though they mean well in the long run, I felt like I needed professors that challenged and inspired me. Besides the school though, life in Buenos Aires is more than amazing.

Though scary times await me in the heart of winter in NYC, I'm ready to leave this place behind and start anew. As one of my favorite lyricist of all time Trey Anastasio says "This has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way." I hope that everyone out there in the blogosphere takes advantage of the fleeting days they have abroad and I look forward to meeting some of you down the line in NYC. Thanks for providing me with small insights into your personalities and your lives abroad. Chao.

----TRUTHNUGGET