What advice would you give yourself (6-8 months ago) about study abroad life in your host country?

Dear Niani,
You are about to go on an adventure of a lifetime. As you prepare to go, stay calm. Everything is going to work out just fine. Everything is going to be new. You're going to have to test your boundaries all of the time. You should write as often as possible to keep track of your journey. When you're afraid, feel the fear and do it anyway. Trust me, you will regret anything you do not do; So try it all! Be open minded and don't judge people! It is a privilege to travel the world. You will know more about the world, be more aware, and have a broader range of experiences than many of your peers, and even friends/family at home. Your view of the world will change. You will be able to have the best conversations with people and learn so much. Inhale it all. Value the relationships gained. Always be grateful to have such an amazing opportunity, and stay as humble.
Trust your journey and believe in yourself. You can do anything! 

Throwback 

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Climbing Lion's Head

While I was on holiday in Cape Town, I climbed Lion’s Head Mountain with my friends Jack and César. They are fellow AFS students, who live in the Cape Town area. Jack is from the States, and César is from Spain. We went to Long Street, a popular night life area in Cape Town, the night before our scheduled climb. This probably wasn't the brightest idea, but we wanted to make the most of my time there. So we were running on all of about 3 hours of sleep, but we decided mountain climbing (Lion’s Head is 669 metres (2,195 ft) high) was still a good idea. YOLO right? 

Our hike started with a red dirt pave way. Then, I noticed the path was becoming narrow and rocky. We were on a steep incline the entire time. My heart started pounding as the path became no more and I was on the edge of the mountain praying that I didn’t fall off. At this point I was exhausted but in awe of the view of Cape Town. I could see Table Mountain, the city, and an unbelievable view of the Atlantic Ocean. The view itself kept me motivated almost the entire time. 
At about 3 different points during the climb, I was on the brink of quitting. I wasn’t looking at the awe inspiring view; I felt like one wrong move and I would go tumbling down the mountain. It was like rock climbing on a wall at the park district; except without the colorful pegs, ropes, and guidance of the instructor at the bottom. One quote that I live by is ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’. I probably said that to myself 50 times, but it worked. I was never far behind Jack or César, but the fact that they kept moving also motivated me. I had an adrenaline rush for one hour straight. Getting to the top felt unreal. The best view was at the peak of the mountain.

Anything Is Possible

 As I sat on the edge with my feet dangling and hands shaking I made a Snapchat video.
This experience made me realize that in life, I would regret anything I didn’t do because of fear; fear can never be an obstacle.
Climbing Lion’s Head felt like one of my greatest personal accomplishments, thus far. It was nothing subjective, no one else picked me, or weighed in; it was me, and the mountain...and I DID it!
As we came down Lion’s Head, me and my friends concluded that while going up the mountain, we were focusing on not dying AND pulling ourselves up the mountain; when we were going down, we just focused on not dying. 

I'm already planning my next adventure...stay tuned!

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