Why Studying Abroad is Just like Improv

One of the biggest lessons I learned while studying abroad is that the secret to having a successful experience is the same as the golden rule of improv: always say yes.Now this may sound weird, scary, or pointless; but trust me when I say always saying yes will transform your study abroad experience.

Now when I say “always say yes”, obviously there are some exceptions, however for the most part I want you to take this rule literally. When I was studying abroad in Bocas del Toro, Panama, I had new experiences open to me around every corner. At first, I was hesitant to try some of these new activities and food. I did not want to make a fool out of myself by doing an activity I wasn’t good at, I did not want to waste money trying a food I might not like, I did not want to make mistakes when practicing my Spanish. However, this hesitation was holding me back from what ended up being some of the best experiences of my life.

The first thing I “said yes” to while in Bocas del Toro was getting SCUBA certified. I was unsure about getting certified for many reasons: I was worried about safety, I was unhappy about the time commitment, and most of all, I thought it wouldn’t be worth it. I ended up deciding to go through with getting SCUBA certified on whim, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. SCUBA may not be for everyone, but it was definitely for me. I, along with about 10 other people in my program, got certified and were able to experience the underwater world in a completely different way. Not only was I able to see incredible wildlife in a totally new way, but I was able to bond and spend time with everyone else on my program who got certified. Now, I am planning on meeting some of my fellow divers from the program for spring break, so we can become one with the water once again.

While saying yes is a wonderful tactic while abroad, it doesn't mean that everything you say yes to will end up being your favorite thing ever. After my success with SCUBA diving I decided to try something I had been hesitant about since the program first started: surfing. Bocas del Toro is not exactly known for beginner surf spots, and I had never been surfing before. I was terrified of hitting the reef, being thrown underwater, and smacking my head on the board. But I decided to ride the lucky wave (get it?) of my newfound love of SCUBA diving and take my first surfing lessons with two other people in my program. I had a lot of fun surfing, but unlike SCUBA, it was not a magical experience. I was still scared of somehow drowning, despite the insistence from the instructor that was very unlikely. I did hit the reef, although I think it hurt the reef more than me. And while I felt an incredible sense of accomplishment once I finally stood on the board and I liked the feeling of sitting on the board in the middle of the ocean, I did not surf again during my time in Panama.

Now you might be wondering, if you didn’t have a magical time surfing, why would you still advise to “say yes” while abroad? Well there are several lessons from the surfing story that lead me to continue to say that studying abroad is like improv. First, even though surfing wasn't my favorite activity in the entire world, I still really enjoyed the experience and I learned something new. I tried something I had never seen myself doing before, and that in itself is a reason to say yes. I also felt such a sense of accomplishment; it felt awesome to finally stand up on the board, to catch my own wave. I loved using muscles I don't usually use and thinking about things I have never thought about before. Yes, my shoulders hurt more than they ever have before afterwards, but I was proud of myself for trying something new. Finally, surfing bonded me and the fellow members of my program more than SCUBA did. While we all loved SCUBA and went several more times throughout the program, the slight fear, accomplishment, and hurt of surfing connected us more.

Overall, whether you are trying new foods, going to new places, or participating in new activities, my advice is to always say yes. You never know which food is going to become your favorite, which story you will tell years after you return home, or which activity you will continue to love for long after your program ends. Going abroad is all about learning new things, and the best way to learn new things is to always say yes.