Submitted by Olivia Castanza on the 2019 winter session program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of English…
Let me begin by saying that these past three weeks have been some of the most eventful of my entire life and I have loved every minute of them. This program was the first time that I have left the United States and to do it without my parents, and with a bunch of people that were strangers in the beginning, was huge for me. One of the reasons that I chose this study abroad program as opposed to a different, specifically longer, one was because I was nervous about being alone and away from home for a prolonged period of time. But, now that our time abroad is coming to a close, I wish that I could stay. I think that my biggest regret by the time I graduate from UD will be that I did not go abroad for an entire semester. This program has let me know that I am capable of, and LOVE, traveling and I will not let distance intimidate me in the future.
For me, this odyssey marks the beginning of a new part of my life, one where I gain independence and go out into the world to experience people and cultures that I never have before. Athens has opened the door to the rest of the world. I am already planning my future travels and even considering looking into getting my master’s degree overseas. I am by no means ready to go home. There is so much that I want to do and see all over the world. Returning to my Ithaca (home) will only start a period of waiting and preparation for my next journey away.