By Mia Perez, Public Relations Intern
Experiencing culture shock and homesickness is common when traveling abroad, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Being in a new country, away from the comforts of home, can feel overwhelming at times. However, these challenges are a natural part of the journey and often lead to the most rewarding and memorable experiences. Madison McGhin, a 2nd year student at Auburn University, dealt with similar struggles upon arriving abroad - but thanks to the help of our staff, new friends and trusting herself to step outside of her comfort zone, she learned how to overcome them - allowing her to make the most out of her time in Florence this summer.
Like many people do, Madison initially tried pushing away her struggles with homesickness, sharing that she “tried to hide [her] emotions of feeling homesick.” She knew no one going on our DIRECT Florence program and was scared of the unknown. Things like who she would be friends with, whether she’d like the new city she was exploring, when she’d be able to call home due to the time difference, etc weighed heavily on her.
However, she quickly learned that those unknowns are what make life abroad so exciting! “I think the moment when I started creating a lot of friendships that I didn’t realize were possible was when I started to feel like I was adapting to being abroad.” She used the bonds around her as a support system, and managed to still keep in contact with friends and family at home by making allotted times throughout the day to catch up.
While homesickness is extremely common to experience, culture shock can be just pressing and hard to navigate. Understanding and adapting to a new culture you are unfamiliar with can feel unsettling, but Madison shared that after a few days you’ll feel like a local! “I think I adapted when I was at a restaurant after the third or fourth day in Florence - I was able to use Italian words when ordering or speaking to the restaurant staff!”
She also found that some differences between Italy and the states, like lack of A/C and crowded streets, began to bother her less and less as time went on. Going abroad is all about stepping outside of your comfort zone - once she learned to embrace it, Madison was able to get the most out of her transformative experience with us.
Going abroad brought Madison new friendships, memories, and a newfound sense of trust in herself that she CAN do new and scary things. One takeaway we remind current and future students of is that it’s important to remember that other students are feeling the exact way! Our students go through their programs creating tight-knit bonds and further adding to the LeadAbroad family.
For our future travelers, Madison hopes to leave them with advice she wishes she would have been told. “It is so normal to feel homesick and those feelings are completely valid! You’re definitely going to come out stronger on the other side - and are going to grow so much. You should be so proud of yourself because yes, it’s hard in the moment but it’s so rewarding at the end of the day.”
Whether it’s your first time abroad and you know absolutely no one or are traveling with a group of friends, our staff is there to support all of our students in every way they can. Thank you Madison for letting us share your story! We are so glad we had the opportunity to watch you grow and thrive during your time in Florence.
To have your own experience of a lifetime, check out the links below to find our 2025 priority list and a sample itinerary for our DIRECT Florence program!
