Greenheart Travel

This is the first time I have ventured out by myself and left the country, which was a little scary at first but also thrilling and exciting. Leaving my home country, I knew culture was going to be different in Spain and it was, but I loved every second of it. Every culture difference I saw in Spain was awesome and interesting. I had many great experiences that helped me get fully immersed into the true spirit and culture of Spain. I loved the medieval history, Tabarca Island, and many other experiences I got to do. I made many friends and the program was absolutely amazing and worth it. My host mom was great and very sweet. She worked hard to make many meals and create a comfortable place for me to stay. My place was perfect for me and all my needs. Being a first-time traveler and going somewhere you've never been, you will experience homesickness either on your first day or your second day, which is completely normal. I know I did. I had to look past it and instead get out of your apartment and go out and explore the city- go to the beach and experience the beach, make friends. Making friends is crucial to curing culture shock and homesickness. I had homesickness my first and second days until I met my roommate Kai and we became friends, then my culture shock and homesickness just went away. I soon made more friends and then it definitely went away. It came back every once in a while, but that was just because I missed my family and I missed my home, which is completely normal being a first time traveler. However, because of my host family and friends, I got through it and had a great trip.

My year abroad was an experience filled with highs, lows, and surprises. Looking back, my experience was mixed, it didn't fully meet my expectations in some areas, but in others, I was pleasantly surprised. The good parts were incredible, living in a different country allowed me to experience a new culture, meet people from different countries and backgrounds, and gain a greater sense of independence. I enjoyed exploring new cities, trying local foods, and learning more about how people live and study outside of my home country. These experiences helped me grow personally and become more adaptable. However, there were also challenges that made the experience difficult at times. Adjusting to a new environment was harder than expected, and there were moments when I felt disconnected from my new life abroad or frustrated. I faced challenges I wasn't prepared to confront by myself, such as sudden loss, anxiety, and homesickness. While I had my host family and friends to support me, I was sure being at home with my family would help me with my problems. But, even though I struggled with these things, it added to my experience here and helped me learn how to rely on others, myself, and trust in the process. One of the most unexpected parts was noticing how my behavior changed in a new environment. In America, I tended to be louder and more active in class discussions. In Italy, I became more observant and passive, spending more time listening, translating, and noticing my surroundings. While this was not a change I anticipated, it taught me that growth can happen in ways you don't expect. I wouldn't count this as a positive or negative aspect, because in ways I feel like I lost a large part of who I am by being quieter, but I also just learned how to express myself in ways that I hadn't in my home country. Although my experience was mixed, I don't regret it. The challenges, lessons, and memories all contributed to a chapter of my life that helped me better understand both the world and myself. Overall, this year made me face problems I never expected to deal with, especially on my own; but I learned more this year than I planned to, so I am happy I went out of my comfort zone, tried a year abroad, and learned about myself.

My name is Jadie, I did one highschool year abroad in Italy with the help of Greenheart. With the experience I had using Greenheart travel, I am very happy and satisfied. If I ever had a problem, issue, or anything that I was stressed out about, they were there. If i sent an email they would respond almost immediately, and if the time change didn’t align they have a 24/7 hotline. I am very pleased with their company and would highly recommend this program to anyone who is wanting to go abroad for however long. My parents can confirm this, as Greenheart always updated them even if I didn’t. I would one hundred percent recommend this program to students trying to get out of their comfort zone and grow their future.