Dear Readers,

 

Welcome to my blog. My name is Alvina Phouasalit (Po-wah-suh-lit), or Al for short, and I’m a student at the University of California, Irvine. Nine months ago I decided to study abroad during the upcoming fall semester in London, which is where I’m writing from today. To hear a little bit more about how I got here and my intention behind this site, keep reading.

Unlike some other students, studying abroad wasn’t something I anticipated. I always thought traveling was something I would eventually start after graduation. However around December of last year, I caught myself falling into a routine that was devoid of much growth or self-fulfillment. I was, quite honestly stagnant, and wanted to abandon whatever it was that was making me so unfulfilled, and immerse myself into something entirely different. Initially I didn’t know what that something was, but I recalled one thing that always seemed to set my soul on fire: travel. Studying abroad was the perfect opportunity.

Studying in Europe was a no brainer, it had been my #1 destination for forever, so after about a month of planning and more than just a few bumps in the road, I selected a university that would fulfill degree requirements and allow me to take classes of interest apart from my major: the University of London, Queen Mary, or QMUL. Flash forward nine months later, and here I am living in the dorms. This moment, and every moment since I’ve arrived thus far has been surreal, and I can say with confidence that this trip has already been and will continue to be radically unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in the past.

Ultimately, the intention of this blog is to archive my thoughts into something tangible to reference and reflect on later in life. I think it is important that we remind ourselves of who we once were, who we strived to be, and who we ended up becoming, because it gives us a chance to know ourselves. As much as we might want them to be, some feelings aren’t forever. You can’t cling to them or even control them, but if you document them, you might remember them. Good writers have inspired me to do this, and while I’ve written before, I have never written for an audience. I hope to give those curious souls some insight on the knowledge and the takeaways I gain from this new adventure. I’m not the best writer – I wouldn’t even go so far as to call myself a good one. For this reason, I’m quite fearful of judgement and ridicule and inadequacy that might accompany making my thoughts public. But I’m not here to compete. I am here to improve, and to find more comfort in vulnerability.

So this is my story, but it’s not just mine. It’s of the people I meet, the places I see, and the joy and frustration I encounter along the way. It’s the journey of self-growth and discovery. I have no idea what life overseas has in store for me, but I’m so excited to share my experiences with you, I hope you find them interesting.

After all, I’m just as much along for the ride as you are. 🙂