Go Abroad

“Go Abroad! It will change your life!”

"Studying in another country was the best decision I ever made!"

"Post all the time so I can live vicariously!"

Sounds like a bunch of cliché slogans created by the same people who advertise on informercials.

Boring.

Almost as redundant as the barrage of questions about "college" and "relationships" from Aunt Jamie on Thanksgiving. When did Aunt Jamie have all these kids?? Or are people just this incessantly curious?

Luckily, I love the attention.

Even luckier for you all, but I have become a pretentious world traveler.

Oh I just love sunning myself on the quaint sand of Alicante after class and shimmying to El Barrio in the evenings.

I know this place, it's a total dive but all the locals go there. They sell these incredible kebabs and I will totally take you there sometime.

Right after I upload 100 pictures of me in the same three "candid" poses from last weekend. I am not exactly sure which pose I like best -

1. Classic Smile

2. Arms spread outward while I look onward, admiring the scenery

3. Sheepishly pulling my hair out of my face while I giggle at the photographer

(photographers are notoriously hilarious)

My most liked picture has been none of the above. It was of me sitting on the ledge at a very high altitude. I would like to think the likes were in support of my future career at Vogue, but according to my "friends" the likes were favoring the possibility of my horrific tumble.

Either way, I have to keep my fans happy.

"Tag your location on your photos!"

What these wannabe-marketing gurus lack, obviously not at their own fault but they lack the ability to capture how truly incredible life can be abroad.

I could tell you it is because of all the people you meet, the new experiences, the architecture, the history, the art, the music, the customs, the climate, the language etc. etc., and I wouldn't be lying. All of these things I will strive to experience for the rest of my life. However, studying abroad has rested independence on my shoulders. The feeling I can do anything.

I am not talking about the independence I received by picking up my bills at age 16 or learning to cook my own meals, because let's face it, I call my family all the time asking "What the hell is a deductible and why didn't they ask me on a date first?"

I am talking about feeling like the world is truly my oyster.

(Clichés come with the role of a pretentious world traveler.)

I am in freaking Spain. There is so much to do, I don't know what I want to do.

Do I want to try this restaurant or have la cena de mi mamá española?

Do I want to play frisbee or do yoga on the beach?

Do I want to go to Madrid or Barcelona?

Do I want to return to the United States? Hell no.

The maddening part of it all, is that I can do all of it. I quite literally have a lifetime of, if I am lucky, 70 years to explore the planet.

And maybe Mars if Elon Musk creates that colony in time.

I have been stuck in transit of a socially instilled path of education followed by an overpriced education followed by a 9:00-5:00 and finished with a nursing home; meanwhile, freaking out if I were to waive off path.

Not dissing the path, I freaking love learning and having a clear road map. But gotta say, I love this adventure.

"You and the view are beautiful!"

"Come home soon!"

"We miss you!"

Anyway, this whole enlightened independence makes it sound like I am a late bloomer.

Like I finally took the training wheels off and did not cry at the realization that I was pedaling by myself. That Papa Rick and everything safe was trailing with a smile ten feet behind me.

But I would like to reference Maslow's infamous hierarchy, the one that describes life as a journey towards self-actualization.

I can't say which level I am at, but I did just level up.

Visualize Mario eating a mushroom to become adult sized - not gigantic.

The size that allows two hits before death.

I am currently at two hits before death.

Although this pretentious gig may get one of those "lifes" knocked out of me.

That or I tumble off this bike and need a Papa to jump start my next ride.

'Til then, "You should totally go abroad, it will change your life!"