On Journaling While Abroad

Words and photos by Gianna Messia, who studied abroad with ASA in Florence, Italy, during the fall semester of 2024.

When you first arrive somewhere new, everything feels exciting. Whether it's the smells of new food, the sounds, the way people greet one another in a foreign language or even how different the air feels. Maybe it’s the sound of scooters buzzing past your window in Italy, or the way street food smells in Budapest. These small details fade faster than you think, but journaling keeps them alive. 

Writing down even the simplest things about how long your morning walk was or the exact taste of your first sip of local coffee. These little details help you remember the richness of your experience.

I'm usually not one to journal. I like to write things down, but everyday journal entries can get tedious and my hands can get tired pretty quickly. When I finalized my steps to go abroad, I knew I wanted to find a way to jot down all of my memories and adventures. I thought about getting a camera like everyone else, but the cost was adding up. To buy a camera, get enough SD cards or cords to transfer all the pictures seemed to get a bit overwhelming. My other choice was to take pictures and videos off of my phone which was super convenient, but not for my iPhone storage. I then decided to buy a journal. Specifically, one that I could dedicate to my four months abroad. 

I was interested in picking a “Travel Journal” class that allowed me to work on my journal entries for homework. We were prompted to use the 5 senses: smell, sounds, sight, touch, and taste. Although I wouldn't normally pick a class such as this one, it helped me a lot with my writing and being able to capture moments I wouldn't be able to through a picture.  

If you’re not sure where to start, try small prompts like:

• What was the most surprising thing about that today?
• What’s one thing that made me feel at home here?
• How have I changed since I arrived?
• What are the highlights that I want to remember about this week?

You can also mix things up by adding photos, transportation tickets, doodles, or little sketches. It can become a sort of scrapbook for you to visually remember your time in different countries. 

This journal quickly turned into what I look back at every week at home. Traveling by bus or plane made it easy to allot time to journal. I almost found it super relaxing to sit by the window on a train ride and write about all the exciting things that were happening and the trips we were planning in the midst of living abroad. I believe journaling is a therapeutic practice for times you feel stressed, angry, happy, sad—all the emotions. The best part was also finding some free time during your days to hike up a hill or have a picnic in a grassy spot and sit under a tree to write and admire your view of a foreign country. 

My favorite part of journaling was coming home to read my journal entries with my friends from home. It truly allowed them to understand more than the pictures and videos that were being sent their way. Months or years from now, when your time abroad feels like a blur, your journal will bring you back. You’ll read your old entries and remember exactly how you felt on that rainy day in the streets of Paris or the first time you cooked dinner in your tiny apartment in Florence. You’ll see how far you’ve come — not just as a traveler, but as a person.

On my plane ride home, I carefully packed my notebook with stained pages, broken binding, and smudged writing from one too many stories. I highly encourage you to bring a small notebook or notepad to take along on your journey abroad!

Thanks, Gianna!