Jessie Williams is a student at the College of Saint Rose and an ISA Featured Blogger. Jessie is currently studying abroad with ISA in Barcelona, Spain.
Friends are amazing. They’re always there to make some memories, and help ease the memories you wish you could forget. The good ones make you laugh until you cry, and the best ones are the ones you can travel abroad with.
Being away from home can be a major challenge, especially when you are in the middle of adjusting to a different lifestyle. When speaking with my friend, Kelly, who is doing an internship in London at the moment, it’s easy to feel alone even when you’re in a populated city. Sometimes you may face challenges in communication because there is a language barrier between locals and even sometimes your roommates. The truth is, when the going gets tough, it’s wonderful to have someone to give you a little piece of home.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of touring around London with Kelly. We had a great time looking at all of the famous sites such as the Tower of London, the London Eye, Big Ben, The Buckingham Palace, and more. It was so wonderful having someone from my college that I can share the experience with. When we go back to the States, we can share those memories and we can empathize with each other about different challenges we’ve faced while abroad. Another benefit of seeing someone such as Kelly is she knows so much about the area. I pretty much got a free tour of London, complete with a great friend, an awesome English Breakfast pot of tea and photos to capture all the moments.
It’s so amazing having friends that I have been able to reach out to while abroad. They give me all of the background information about where the cool and budget friendly places to go are. They also give me reasons to visit amazing places I may have not been able to otherwise experience. If you know a friend or family member that is abroad, visit them. I promise, you won’t regret it.
