Preparing for the Unknown

Knowing how to prepare for something that you know little about (like a country halfway across the world with different people, animals, accents, customs, and amount of ozone layer) is a difficult task!  For most of my life, I felt like I have had so much knowledge of places, events, or people that I would encounter that I felt comfortable going into them.  I knew how to find my way around, who to ask for advice, and had people supporting me along the way. 

Unlike many people, I even felt this way going to college.  My sister, who is two years older, attended Bucknell University also, and I visited her several times while I was in high school.  I learned how to get to the main buildings on campus, met her friends who would be upperclassmen when I attended, learned how the social scene worked including how to get into parties as a freshman, and became comfortable at the University.  As a freshman, I had my older sister there, as well as two of my good friends from high school, which was surprising since we all decided to go independently of each other.  It was great for me to know this network of people because it made the transition from high school to a college 2 ½ hours away so much easier.

Now, as I pack for a semester long trip to study in Australia, I’m realizing that I really feel like I’m going into the unknown!  How many tank tops should I bring?  How many pairs of pants will I need?  Can people really find deadly spiders inside their homes or dorms?  How long of a walk is it from my dorm to my classes - can I get sunburn under the tropical sun from just walking to class?

Yes, many of these questions are trivial and I know I’ll figure them out after a little experience and with the help of other people.  But it still feels daunting going without this knowledge.  None of my family members have been to Australia and there is only so much you can learn from reading travel books and searching online.  I do know several friends from college also going to Australia this semester, but it’s a big country and I would need to fly on a plane to see them.   Whatever I do encounter in this coming semester, I hope that if I do forget a favorite shirt from home, it isn’t too traumatic and I make it up by making lots of new memories (even if I’m wearing only my second-favorite shirt)!