Friends from Around the World
Posted on March 14, 2022 by Rae Kantzler
The days come and go, and so do the people in our lives; but some people come into our lives one day, they make you laugh and smile, they make you see the world in a different way, and suddenly, you realize that they never really left your life. To me, this is what I call friendship. It is the friends we make along the way that make us appreciate the journey that is life.
In spring of 2020, I did an exchange program with the University of Western Sydney.
I took off to Sydney, Australia in February, and I was beyond excited for what lay
ahead of me. Through all of my travels, of course I love to try new foods, take part
in various events happening, and see cool and famous attractions, but my absolute
favorite part of traveling is the people I get to meet along the way. As soon as I
hopped off the plane and arrived at my housing at Western Sydney, I found out that
many of the other international students were also living in the same residential
area. They immediately came up to me upon my arrival to introduce themselves, and
they helped me carry my luggage and get set up for the night. Everyone was so nice,
and they even let me borrow bedding and towels because the stores were closed (it
was late at night, and I had not packed larger items that I planned on buying there).
They told me they were planning on going to the beach the next morning and invited
me to come; that night, I went to bed with a grin on my face thinking about how amazing
the next couple months were going to be.
Four weeks after my arrival to Sydney, my study abroad experience was interrupted and unfortunately affected by Covid-19. Australia quickly decided to establish and enforce distancing measures and social restrictions in order to reduce the spread of the virus. Most public spaces closed or had restrictions in place; we were not even allowed to socialize with one another in our own housing! The quarantine measures and Covid panic carried everyone on an emotional roller coaster. The other internationals and I were torn by trying to make the decision whether to return to our home countries or to stay and see if the restrictions would ease. After two weeks of many tears, I made the difficult decision to return to the States, where I would continue to do my studies through Western Sydney online.
Even though I only got to spend six weeks in Australia and did not get the opportunity
to do everything I planned, I still left with life-long friends who I keep in contact
with to this current day. Considering that they were all from different countries,
spoke different languages, had separate cultures, and held various beliefs, I did
not expect to become so close in such a short amount of time. I will never forget
singing “Happy Birthday” in German on the public transportation bus every time we
went downtown just to annoy our friend Simon from Austria. We took turns hosting taco
nights and/or pancake brunches and made plans to sail to the Great Barrier Reef, go
skydiving in New Zealand, and surfing at Bondi Beach. From learning words in each
other’s languages to sharing stories about our cultures, they all truly inspired me
– just by being my friend. We adventured around the NSW area together, we checked
out neat museums, ate at eclectic restaurants, and we made plans to visit each other
in the future.
We laughed together, and we cried together, and most importantly, they showed me what it meant to “see the world.” My study abroad experience did not just allow me the opportunity to see the world, but I got to genuinely experience and immerse myself in it. They showed me the importance of understanding diverse perspectives which led to an enlightenment on a global basis and recognition of the value of understanding one another. They transformed my experience and my outlook on life without even really meaning to. I am so grateful for those friendships, human connection, and the meaningful lasting memories.
“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.”
– Woodrow Wilson