During my exchange there were many times that I would make plans ahead of time with friends and go on hikes or go skiing for the weekend (which were great trips, don’t get me wrong), but I can honestly say that some of my favorite memories from the entire semester are from times that I was asked last second to be on a train in 15 minutes heading who knows where. All of my canceled plans, train ride studies, and train station sprints made each of those trips worth it! My favorite, and biggest, example of this happening was right around spring break. I was on the phone with my Dad the day before the start of my break, just talking about what I might want to do or where I would want to go when he asked me if I’d ever been to North Africa. Well, about ten minutes later I had booked my flight and was on a plane to Morocco the next morning. No plan, no hotel, no one even coming with me but I was on the way. That trip was filled with some incredible memories and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I nearly missed out on if it weren’t for a passing comment from my Dad. I met some incredible people that made that trip the best it could be. Any of this would not have happened if I hadn’t been open to the spontaneous opportunity of a cheap flight. So if you’re looking at doing an exchange one semester I would so highly recommend that you be open to spontaneity, even if it may mean you are well outside of your comfort zone or even traveling alone. This study abroad opportunity really is a once in a lifetime chance to see all kinds of new places, people, and cultures, so be ready to take advantage of every opportunity to engage, experience, and learn no matter when they might come!

Sunrise sandboarding in the Sahara!