Coming from a small town, one can expect various reactions when you announce that your deviating from the traditional "Westerly, CCRI/URI, Westerly again" pattern that many kids embrace when it comes to life after high school. Now don't get me wrong, students in my school have done this before, a current senior spent a semester in Germany either sophomore or junior year. But its as though he is the exception, and comes as a shock when other people do it.
While my teachers supported my decision to study abroad, some of the larger administration faced my aspirations with disappointing apprehension. My guidance councelor attempted to dissuade me from a junior year abroad, saying that it would make me unappealing to colleges and that I could always wait until then to pursue my (how cheesy) wanderlust. After being officially excepted he had me register for junior classes in case I essentially chickened out before going or had to come home. While I respect that proffesionally he needed to advise me as to what path was most practical, I couldn't help but be put off by the fact that he couldn't just accept that I was studying abroad whether or not it was best college-wise and didn't even have the faith in me to last a full 10 months away from beloved Westerly. But also, if a college really views my exchange as a negative, it wouldn't be the right college for me, right?
Either way, I have encountered numerous people who have been both extremely discouraging and encouraging. I'm faced with kids questioning my language skills (minimal), homesickness (hasn't really hit me yet), and whether or not I'll actually have amigos (debatable...). It doesn't bother me too much, but I find the variety of reactions people feel when told such different news interesting. So many people have mentioned it in class and congratulated me for being accepted. A lot of people are "soooooooo jealous" that my life will be filled with parties (with all of my non existant Spanish friends of course), traveling (on my exchange student budget) and tacos (???) (Sidenote- no people, Spain and Mexico are NOT the same country). I cannot express how greatful I am for the multiple letters of recommendation I've begged off of my awesome history teacher or for my English teacher offering to have an independent study with me via email and Skype so I don't have to double up on English senior year. Administration had directly asked me if I'm the girl going abroad next year and teachers have shared their own experiences abroad.
But by far the best reaction I have received was when today during an assembly I asked a board of language proffesionals a question about fluency. My Spanish teacher spoke up before any of them could respond telling me to share my plans for junior year. And after me saying " I'm studying abroad in Spain next year" I was happily surprise to hear the sound of clapping filling the auditorium as the entire school applauded me.
