Have you ever daydreamed about traveling to another country but wondered how you could possibly make it happen?

Maybe you’ve attended a Education Abroad 101 information session and got inspired, but a voice in the back of your mind said, “You could never pull this off.”

I know exactly how you feel.

For first-generation, non-traditional students who work full time and manage their own expenses, studying abroad can seem out of reach. But my experience through the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) Education Abroad program showed me that with the right questions, resources and planning, it can be possible.

This past Summer, I had the opportunity to study Travel Writing and Folklore at the Harlaxton Manor estate in England’s countryside through the UHCL Education Abroad program. During the trip, I traveled throughout the United Kingdom, exploring places rich with lore and history, and spent a free weekend traveling independently through Scotland.

Since going back to school, I always felt like the Education Abroad program was for students who had more time, money, and less responsibility.

I was wrong. Getting there started with the simple shift of believing that it was possible.

My first step was talking with Education Abroad advisors. I told them I wanted to study abroad, but I was also honest about why I thought it was unrealistic.

How would I afford it? How would I find the time for it?

Instead of assuming that I already had the answers to these types of questions, I found that there were possibilities and resources that I hadn’t previously considered.

One of these resources was the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a federal scholarship eligible for undergraduate Pell Grant recipients who want to study abroad. The scholarship helped me to pay for a significant portion of the program costs and the rest I supplemented through additional grants and scholarships sponsored through UHCL.

And just like that, a plan started to fall into place. I was going to England for two weeks, which was short enough that I was able to request time off from work, and long enough to have a full experience.

Looking back now, I realize the biggest obstacles were the preconceived limits I held.

If studying abroad is something you dream about, don’t count yourself out. Start asking questions, share where you’re at, and explore the resources available to you. That voice telling you that you can’t is the only thing standing in your way.

This is the first of my five-part series exploring my Education Abroad experience. From deciding to go and finding the financial support needed, to studying in England, and reflecting on what I brought home from the experience.