Before leaving the States to depart on a three month long excursion abroad I did, at the most, minimal planning. My priorities were set on what I would wear, how I would get along with the other students, and how amazing the pasta would be. The things people often worry about and research the most, such as the language, local connections, travel destination, and how to stay in touch with people back home, were a distant thought to me.
I knew before deciding to study abroad that I wanted an experience that would change my life and open my eyes, so I did not want to fill my head with exceptions while in the preparation process. How was I to know if things were going to be as amazing as any other blogger would talk them up to be or as the pictures would show? Why risk the false expectation? Instead, I did little to no research and came into this almost completely blind (we received a student handbook with the important info) with the intentions of being able to disconnect and live in the moment!
We are now one week in. While it would have been nice to have learned some basic Italian before I left and to be able to regularly communicate with my loved ones back home, everything has surpassed any image myself or anyone else could have created in my mind. The views, culture, and history is astoundingly beautiful and I think this beauty is enhanced by my lack of expectations coming in.
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