It’s the last few days in South Korea and It’s getting hard to say goodbye.
My study abroad trip has been the hardest and most rewarding experience of my life thus far. I’ve met so met great people, seen some amazing things, and experienced a whole new world. I’ll never forget this trip and how it changed me. Specifically, there’s three lessons that I learned that I want to highlight.
- Being an adult means making decisions on your own. I thought this was a lesson that I had already learned, but being rushed to the hospital really put it into perspective. As an adult, your life is truly your own. No one cooks for you, cleans for you, or even decides if you need emergency surgery. It was scary coming to that realization that you must be responsible for you; in all aspects of life.
- There is hate everywhere. I experienced discrimination while abroad, and although it may have been understandable, it was still disappointing. It made me almost ashamed of who I was, but I quickly changed those thoughts. It’s good that more people who look like me travel so that others get used to seeing black faces. I, along with all other black people, deserve a chance to see the world.
- Being a woman isn’t easy for anyone. I learned that girls everywhere have the same experiences as we become women. I would see certain situations on the streets that reminded me a lot of home. I’d see women frantically getting ready dates in the bathroom, being heckled by men, etc. But it wasn’t all that bad. I also saw women supporting each other. Girl Power is strong all over the world.
I’m going to miss my time in South Korea but I’ll take the lessons I learned with me through the rest of my life. It’s time for a new chapter of life and hopefully traveling is included in it. Goodbye Seoul!
