Spanish Word of the Day: La Meta
Translation: A Goal or Aim
If there’s anything I were to say about preparing to study abroad, it’s that it can be . . . chaotic, to say the least. And it’s all in the little things. There’s an abundance of details to write down, all strung across various emails. There’re interviews to be scheduled, checks that need to be signed and mailed, and a whole bunch of documents to collect. That is to say that there’s more than an ocean standing in between me and my destination.
There are moments when all I can think about are the little stressors of preparation. The documents to sign, the forms to submit, etc., etc. The details of it all can get overwhelming. Amidst the chaos, it is so easy to forget what this is all for. That’s why I always bring it back to the goal, Argentina. Applying for a VISA turns into my flight landing in Buenos Aires. Planning a budget becomes the empanadas or asado I will try. Taking a language assessment looks more like a way to dive into the culture and history of la Plaza de Mayo. (There will be more to come on all of these fronts :).
This stressful post isn’t to scare you away from studying abroad. If anything, it’s a reminder to shift your mindset and prioritize what really matters. In all facets of life, we need to take a second to remember why we’re doing what we’re doing. Intentionality matters, something that is especially apparent in a culture of checking boxes. While that can be good and important, we need to look at the goal. The goal is Argentina, and the boxes are being checked off, one by one.