Top 3 Lessons From Studying Abroad:

Insight 82 | This past year, I had the tremendous blessing of studying abroad in the incredible city of London.  It was a unique season brimming with beauty, many side quests, and a serious taste of what the “real world” is like.

Since then, I have returned to the wonder of a campus I call home, which has often prompted friends and family to ask, “How was it?” The typical response includes anecdotes of adventure, small, quiet moments of God's faithfulness, and a whole lot of pictures :).

But seeing that I had this magnificent opportunity, it would be a terrible waste if I didn't at least take some time to reflect on and consider my deeper takeaways from those few months. 

So, without further ado, I present to you my top three lessons from studying abroad

1. You Win Some, and You Learn Some.

2. Rainy Days Are Blessed Days

3. Become a Local

1. You Win Some, and You Learn Some: Life has its highs and its lows. We all “know” that, but it's those who internalize it who go on to have careers defined as monumental, inspiring, and revolutionary. I believe it is one of the critical distinguishing factors of success that separates the wannabees from the “want and dids.”

Roger Federer, world-class tennis legend, speaks to this mindset in his heartening Dartmouth Commencement Speech, while admitting that "Perfection is impossible” and that even the greats don’t hit every shot. In total, Feder clarifies, he played 1,526 singles matches across his professional career, in which he won nearly 80%. And yet in total, he only won 54% of all the points he ever played. 

In other words, he lost almost half the points he played, and yet he still reached meteoric heights. Why? Because he came to understand that, in an individual moment, that singular point may be the most important, but once it's in the past, it’s just a point and no more. The same goes for the ones we win. A critical reminder not to let the good times get to our heads either.

2. Rainy Days Are Blessed Days: This is perhaps the most beautiful of the lessons I gathered while abroad, because London is known for its constant overcast and high likelihood of spontaneous light drizzles. Ironically, I gained this insight from a tour guide in Morocco while exploring the desert near Marrakesh.

With the sun setting and our group heading back into the city, we got to talking with our driver and learned so much about the fascinating and rich Moroccan culture, as well as the challenges it faces as a whole. In this conversation, I discovered that the country struggles at times to maintain a sufficient water supply, so when it rains, they count it a blessing, as it's a much-needed provision for both the land and its people.

This brief thought added to my already pleasant view of rainy days. While I have always enjoyed them, it became clear in this moment that they are not only a part of life but also a useful tool for nourishment and growth.

We’ve all been praying for sunshine and rainbows, but maybe what we actually need are more rainy days. How else could we grow?

3. Become a Local: The grass isn’t greener on the other side! Don’t believe the lies or the little devil on your shoulder when it tells you to look around instead of looking at what's right in front of you. Too often, we miss the beauty next door because we are too concerned with how awesome it might be somewhere else in the world. I mean this both in the physical sense and in the metaphorical one.

If ever given the chance to live in a new space, look for the “hole in the walls”, find the hidden gems, and share those memories with people you would have never met otherwise. But additionally, this applies to our day-to-day actions and routines. We should all realize that most of us don’t even know ourselves because we are too busy being tourists in other people's lives. 

Your world is just as worth getting to know, and it doesn’t always take a plane to do it.

---

While being abroad was a gift from God, I must admit I missed home as well, and I am glad to be back.

I'm excited for all that is to come. God is too good, and he has never failed. I hope and pray that these travels may be the first of many adventures, and that you find these lessons as impactful in your life as they have been in mine.

It doesn’t take crossing the world to learn these lessons or to realize we can make a difference where we may find ourselves. As a matter of fact, it's often easier than we think. Maybe even as simple as crossing the street. We all have to start somewhere.

If you have any lessons from a time you visited a new culture or place, or even from a local memory, hit reply to today's newsletter via this email and let me know them. I would love to connect and learn them as well!

- Making The Most Of Being Curious

Daniel J. Cuesta

Sources:

1. You Win Some, and You Learn Some: For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again. Proverbs 24:16

2. Rainy Days Are Blessed Days: Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. - Hosea 6:3

3. Become a Local: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. - Ecclesiastes 3:1