Hi everyone! I am now in Amherst and let me just say it was quite the journey to get here. Before landing in Boston I could see from the plane window that I was definitely in a different part of the country. When I stepped outside from the airport I immediately felt that it was colder and not nearly as humid as back home. I noticed in the parking garage that every five seconds someone was blaring their horn, angry at other drivers. Once I got in the rental car I could see why, the traffic was horrible. As we made our way to the more rural town that I live in now, I saw that the landscape was not that much different from Arkansas. Yes, the mountains were smaller, the dirt wasn’t red, and the trees seemed to hang in a sad winter-like way, but other than that if I hadn’t been paying attention I could have mistaken it for home.
Being separated from my family, friends, and familiar way of life has taught me a lot about myself already. It has instilled what I’ve felt like I’ve already known for a long time, which is that I like my independence and I enjoy change. I find having a new life is exciting and I’m already planning out my next adventure once this one ends. However, even though I am loving it here, that doesn’t mean I don’t miss aspects of my life back home, the main one being the people I’m closest with.
I find that every relationship I have made here so far has been uncomplicated. It’s very easy to talk to others and have made a good number of friends so far. I have learned a lot from the other study abroad students (mostly Dutch students because that is the nationality of my roommate) and have enjoyed learning about where they come from. I don’t think the culture up here is as different as I had previously believed it to be. The differences I have found have been little to none.
The system of education up here has been amazing. They are very thorough with their teachings and encourage a lot of self-discovery and thought. A difference I’ve noticed from this campus compared to home is the push for students to know one another. I have been required to introduce myself to each person in almost all my classes, which I appreciate since before I knew almost nobody here.
My expectations of life and the school that I would experience up here have been exceedingly met. The people are as nice as can be, and I’ve already made more friends in two weeks than I thought I would make all semester. The professors are personable and find time to get to know me and my situation as much as they can. It is safe to say that I made the right choice and can’t wait for the year to come.
-Aarah <3
