Not Enough Time

Before I came abroad, I talked to quite a few people about their study abroad experience or about people they knew who had studied abroad, they all had different and encouraging stories that made me really excited to come abroad. However there was one statement that was the same with every person I talked to, "one semester is not enough time" at the time and up until very recently I did not understand how one semester was not enough time, and could not even fathom staying here for a year.

As I was told that same statement over and over again, I continued to brush it off. "Yea yea, maybe for you it was not enough time but I am sure for me it will be more than enough" that was usually the thought running through my head.

Well these past few weeks, as I have been overflowing with the amazing peace of Jesus and enjoying the beautiful spring weather that has finally arrived, I have realized they were right.

Now before you read further, not to worry I am not extending my stay, just an observation and perhaps some advice to anyone pondering the the idea of studying abroad.

When I first arrived in England I was really excited to be here, but hit hard with homesickness and the desire to come home. As I started to adapt I would go back and forth with loving my time here, and yearning to go home. Ever since my trip to Ireland and Scotland I have been so at peace with being here, and I believe there are two reasons for this.

One is that Jesus is my ultimate provider and I asked him to fill me with peace and cast away my worries so that I could enjoy my time here...which he did!
The other is that I have finally adjusted. Whenever you move somewhere you don't typically adjust immediately it usually takes a while to get the feel of the culture, the area, the people, and to make friends, and being in a different country it takes even longer since there are new factors that come into play.
After being here for three months I have finally adapted to the culture, made some great friends, and have been comfortable with being here and calling this my "home" at least for now.

I think that is why everyone told me a semester was not enough time, sure its enough time to see the country to do some traveling but since you are only here for 4 months its hard to completely adjust and adapt. I have had this feeling in me all semester that "this is so temporary" which made it hard for me to adapt and to relax and be comfortable with being here.

So finally after this internal battle, I have finally loved being here, and wished I had more time here. A semester really is not enough time because once you get all settled in and adjusted, it is time to pick everything back up and leave. Don't get me wrong I am SO thankful for this experience and I am truly excited about coming home, but it just isn't enough time.

With that said, I have been trying to fill my time with lots of fun things to do:
-Last week we went bowling and had a BBQ (where we made Smores because the boys had never had a Smore before!)
- This week we are having a baking day, possibly a girls night and anything else fun we can think of to do.
-We leave for Greece in one week
-I have 3 essays due in a month and I am a little over half way done with the first one! (I have never done homework this far in advance!)

I have about 40 days until I come home, and I am going to make the most of them! =)