Words and photos by Maria Brizon, who studied abroad with ASA in Seville, Spain, for the spring semester of 2025.
It’s been over a year and a half since I studied abroad, which still feels unreal to say. Before I left home, I had this expectation that I would do everything, see everything, and travel everywhere. And honestly, I did a lot, like visiting 13 countries and 26 cities, which is something I’ll always be grateful for. But there were also places I didn’t get to see, and a few I realized I want to experience at a different point in my life. What I learned, both toward the end of my program and even more after coming home, is that everything has its time. Just because you didn’t see something now doesn’t mean you won’t see it later. You don’t have to squeeze your entire life into four months. People will tell you, “You HAVE to visit ___” or “You HAVE to try this.” And when you’re abroad, you feel this pressure to fit everything in. But the truth is: your experience is your own, and you get to decide what matters.
Letting yourself breathe:
When you slow down, you give yourself permission to simply exist in your new country. You can travel every weekend if you want, but that doesn’t have to be the goal. You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to have quiet days. You’re allowed to enjoy your new home without rushing through it. Life doesn’t have to be fast to be meaningful.
Let the city introduce itself to you:
You’re in a new country, so don’t pressure yourself to do everything at once. When you rush, you miss the beauty of the city around you. Slowing down helped me notice things I never would’ve seen back home. And small moments became some of my favorite memories.
The best days were the unplanned ones:
Some of my favorite days abroad happened when I had no plan at all. When I stopped trying to control every second, I finally had space to experience the moment. Wandering without a destination, sitting in a café for hours, or letting plans unfold naturally made me feel more connected to the city and to myself. Slowing down also helped me connect more deeply with people. Sharing long meals with my host family, not checking the time, letting conversations flow. Those moments mattered more than any tourist attraction.
Slowing down helped my mental health:
When you’re constantly rushing or trying to meet expectations, you put pressure on yourself and the people around you. Slowing down helped me feel grounded. It helped me breathe. It helped me appreciate where I was instead of worrying about what I wasn’t doing. It made me feel more connected to my host country and more connected to myself.
Bringing the lesson home:
When I came back home, I carried that slower pace with me. I enjoyed my last year of college more because I stopped trying to control everything. I went with the flow. I let things happen. I trusted the timing of my life. Because you can’t control everything so why try to force what isn’t meant to be? Slowing down taught me that you’re never missing out when you choose presence. You’re discovering something new: yourself, your peace, and the beauty around you.
Thanks, Maria!