{"id":116,"date":"2010-12-20T18:36:00","date_gmt":"2010-12-20T18:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.abroad101.local\/?p=116"},"modified":"2017-05-24T09:43:46","modified_gmt":"2017-05-24T14:43:46","slug":"guest-blog-spotlightfriends-with-benefits-sustaining-your-study-abroad-friendships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.studyabroad101.com\/blog\/2010\/12\/guest-blog-spotlightfriends-with-benefits-sustaining-your-study-abroad-friendships\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Blog Spotlight:Friends with Benefits: Sustaining Your Study Abroad Friendships"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thank you to Tiffany Harrison for providing us with this awesome blog post. Learn more about Tiffany at www.wwjanedo.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Friends with Benefits: Sustaining Your Study Abroad Friendships<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was a typically cold Scottish night and there were eight of us squeezed together around a table at the pub. It happened to be a disco-themed music night, and the lights of the disco ball reflected off our laughing faces. We\u2019d decided to play a game of \u201cpass on the dance move\u201d where one person would perform a move and then pass it on so that it continually progressed around the table. The waving of our arms and bobbing of our heads lacked any sort of choreography, but we didn\u2019t mind. It was enjoying each other\u2019s company that mattered the most.<\/p>\n

This memory is one of many I have from the friendships I formed while studying abroad. Like many students that return home from living out of the country for an extended period, these nostalgic moments are to be expected. They creep up on you when you least expect it; a smell, a familiar song, a sudden case of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu\u2014the triggers are everywhere. It was only after I traveled and lived in a new country that I came to realize how unique study abroad friendships are. You\u2019re thrown into a situation with individuals who feel exactly like you do: alone and foreign in a new place, you may not be able to speak the language, you don\u2019t know anybody yet and there is so much you\u2019re unsure of. It\u2019s overwhelming at first, but it is these ties to each other that turn people you\u2019ve only known for three or four months into some of the best friends you\u2019ll ever have.<\/p>\n

These unforgettable friendships are also a big reason in why it\u2019s so hard to return home. Whether it\u2019s having to watch friends leave or saying goodbye when you\u2019re the one departing, there are usually tears aplenty. I don\u2019t think I even went to bed the night before I flew home from my study abroad program in Scotland. Like a much cheesier version of Aerosmith\u2019s song, I was determined not to miss a thing.<\/p>\n

Of course, the constant reminiscing can be depressing and make it difficult to enjoy living in the moment. It\u2019s not an unavoidable fate, though. Making an effort to sustain your friendships after you\u2019ve returned home is a much better option. It makes the transition and re-entry shock that much easier, and keeps those close-knit friendships from turning into a vague memory.<\/p>\n

The concept of \u2018friends with benefits\u2019 takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to study abroad; these are the people with whom you\u2019ve shared all sorts of adventures and formed lasting bonds with. Making an effort to stay in touch despite the distance will guarantee the \u2018benefits\u2019 continue for years to come. Here are a few of my personal favorite ways to making sure that no amount of miles comes between me and those I miss the most.<\/p>\n

1. Nothing Says I Miss You Like a Good Letter \u2013 Email and social networks make it easier than ever to stay connected, but sometimes they lack that personal touch. If you really want to express your feelings, share a mutual memory, or simply send birthday wishes, why not take the time to write out a letter or card? Sure, it takes longer to arrive, but who doesn\u2019t love receiving \u201csnail mail?\u201d Not only will it demonstrate how much you care about that person, but it also allows for a measure of creativity. For me, it\u2019s all about the wax seals. Call me old-fashioned, but a letter just doesn\u2019t look the same without one.<\/p>\n

2. Schedule a \u201cDate\u201d \u2013 Communicate with your friends and schedule times to meet up online, if you can. When you can\u2019t head down to the pub together for a pint, there\u2019s no better way to catch up face-to-face than over a Skype \u201cdate\u201d or video call (and you can bring your own wine!). Making time for those moments will keep you up to date on what\u2019s going on in your friend\u2019s lives, with the added option of commenting about their latest haircut choice. If you\u2019re a bad liar, I\u2019d suggest avoiding that particular topic.<\/p>\n

3. Have Friends, Will Travel \u2013 Got a serious case of itchy feet combined with travel bug? With all your friends spread across the world (or wherever they may be) you have all the motivation you need to start making new travel plans. Desperately missing the company of your closest friends only makes it easier to plan these trips. Why wait for a high school reunion to take place, when you could be planning a study abroad reunion? It will strengthen the friendships and make the fear of \u201clong distance\u201d a thing of the past. Friendship has always been a two-way street\u2014so what are you waiting for? Grab your passport and hit the road.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thank you to Tiffany Harrison for providing us with this awesome blog post. Learn more about Tiffany at www.wwjanedo.com Friends with Benefits: Sustaining Your Study Abroad Friendships It was a typically cold Scottish night and there were eight of us squeezed together around a table at the pub. It happened to be a disco-themed music […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_ppma_block_editor_authors":""},"categories":[4,21],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[682],"class_list":["post-116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-abroadadvice","category-stories-from-abroad","author-pwpadmin"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t