Former president George H. W. Bush loved to skydive, although he only jumped a few times in his life. He jumped at age 75, untethered to his military companions, with almost fatal consequences. I guess he learned his lesson, or his Secret Service detail did. A few years later on his 80th and 90th birthdays he was safely strapped to a tandem expert for both jumps.
So, you’re probably asking yourself two questions:
What is a tandem skydive? A tandem skydive offers novice skydivers an opportunity to experience the thrill of jumping out of an airplane at 13,000 feet and parachuting safely back to the ground with the assistance of a qualified tandem skydiving expert strapped to your back.
What does a tandem skydive have to do with studying abroad? A study abroad experience to a foreign country often feels like the uncertainty of jumping out of an airplane, but with a professional, or group of professionals, assisting you to a safe landing abroad and then home again.
5 Ways Study Abroad and Tandem Skydiving Are Alike
- Seem Scary
- Require Planning
- Offer Professional Oversight
- Require a Leap of Faith
- Achievements Worth Your Efforts
Study Abroad and Tandem Skydiving Seem Scary
At first glance it may seem scary when you are considering a study abroad experience. You’re not alone. There are many reasons you might feel that way. It’s easy to fear the unknown, especially when the unknown is traveling across the world to an unfamiliar college in an exotic city in a foreign country. Added to your worry is the fact that you may chose a study abroad experience in a country that English is not the official language. But hundreds of thousands of college students face their fears and travel abroad each year.
Similarly, skydiving may seem scary to you too. But when you consider the safety precautions and the level of safety nationally licensed operators provide, then you may determine skydiving is just the thing for you. In fact, over 3 million people skydive each year.
Both adventures seem scary, but after the facts are considered, then maybe study abroad and skydiving are worth looking into further.
I know they were for me.
Study Abroad and Tandem Skydiving Require Planning
Whether you’re choosing a study abroad program or a skydiving experience, it takes planning to successfully accomplish either task.
When I decided to plan a skydiving experience, I researched multiple skydiving operations in my area and elsewhere. I read reviews and made sure that the company I was interested in was a member of the United States Parachute Association. After my research I selected the right company for my first-time experience that was located near Austin, Texas. I picked a company that fulfilled my personal and budgetary requirements. I pulled together a final plan that included an appropriate date, the necessary reservations with the company, and all of the travel plans required to get there and back.
With study abroad, your college can help walk you through an established checklist of tasks you’ll need to work through to reach your goal of studying abroad. You’ll need to determine when and where you want to study, how much your budget can afford, the length of time you’d like go, and many other things you’ll need to consider. The study abroad office at your college is there to help you along the way. But the bottom line is that the study abroad program you want to experience is totally up to you. My best advice is to do your best to plan it in advance, follow the checklist you assemble and meet all your deadlines early.
Study Abroad and Skydiving Offer Professional Oversight
As I mentioned above, the professionals at your college and at the skydiving operation offer years of experience and insight to help you enjoy a successful experience with either endeavor.
Following are 10 tips from my respective Study Abroad and Skydiving Teams to ensure a successful experience.
10 Tips Provided by My Study Abroad Team
- Make a study abroad packing list early on so you won’t forget anything.
- Remember your medications.
- Take an external hard drive.
- Download useful and recommended abroad apps like PayPal and Venmo.
- Pack everyday, neutral street clothes and interchangeable items. Bring layers.
- Protect your documents, make copies beforehand and keep them secured.
- Take advantage of tiny toiletries.
- Pack comfortable shoes.
- Take a journal.
- When you arrive, try your best to blend in.
10 Tips provided by My Skydiving Team
- Get some sleep.
- Eat a light meal for breakfast on the day of the jump.
- Arrive early at the airfield.
- Wear close-fitting clothing for the jump. Dress in layers. A good company will offer you a jumpsuit.
- Listen closely to the brief training required before the jump.
- Understand the timeline from takeoff to landing.
- Understand your role in the endeavor. Ask questions if you don’t understand something.
- Relax. You’ll be nervous, but relax. Breathe deeply.
- Visualize a successful jump.
- Enjoy the ride and smile at the camera operator filming your jump.
Study Abroad and Tandem Skydiving Require a Leap of Faith
Ultimately it’s your choice to make a leap of faith. Either way you will most likely climb aboard an airplane.
The skydiving experience requires you to leap out of an open door with a highly experienced, trained instructor with multiple parachutes strapped to your back. He or she will be totally responsible for the operation of the equipment. You just get to focus on following the instructions you’ve received on the ground before boarding the aircraft.
The study abroad experience allows you to walk out the main cabin door onto a jetway and into the airport of some foreign country.
Either adventure requires you to take a Leap of Faith.
Study Abroad and Tandem Skydiving Are Worth the Effort
Finally, you should know that the successful completion of a study abroad experience or a skydiving experience are achievements that will make you proud. It’s proof of your ability to overcome any fears you may feel and conquer a challenge most people on the planet will never experience.
And as I mentioned earlier, try to make your first jump with a company the hires a photographer/videographer to make the jump with you to capture your achievement on film. I still look at the photos and video once or twice a year to remind me of the remarkable experience it was.
The same holds true for study abroad. Capture everything you can on film. You think you will remember everything you see, but you won’t. You’ll be so happy when you look at photos or watch a video.
Remember, both experiences are once-in-a-lifetime events. Treat them that way. One or both will serve as a landmark event in your life.
So, What’s Your Gut Instinct on Study Abroad?
Are you ready for study abroad? It’s my sincere hope that you’re leaning toward Studying Abroad sometime soon. Remember, it is a good thing! You should get excited about the opportunity. I know I did. I was so excited I couldn’t sleep at night.
Now, for my next question. Are you ready for skydiving? If you’ve decided for yourself that Skydiving is a good thing, please do not tell your parents where you learned this information. I don’t need any cards, letters or emails from your parents, siblings or long lost cousins. My parents were a little antsy when I told them the number one item on my bucket list was to skydive. But by the time I did it, my parents and family were there to watch. More importantly, I was able to convince my uncle and two cousins to join me at a small, well-regarded flight school outside Austin, Texas. It was awesome! And believe me, it was worth it! Just like my Study Abroad experience in Seville, Spain.
So, are you ready to take the leap into Study Abroad?