help what do i do with my life?

Question

i want to go to graduate school in history so i need language experiences. i love travelling and seeing new countries and some of the happiest times of my life have been while travelling. i have been living abroad for the past year and i am planning on living a broad for at least the next year if not the next two years. but i miss my family and my dogs. i am home on vacation and feel sad that i have to go back halfway across the world soon. at the same time i know nobody ever accomplished anything by staying at home. sometimes i just wish i could go back to being a child and not having to make such hard decisions. but please help me it is just tearing me up inside knowing i am going to spend the next few years so far away from home, even though i know the experience will in the end be really valuable.

edit:

sorry, i know it's not the most clear question but just an anxiety attack and i don't know what to do with my life. it's not study abroad, i am a college graduate so this is my life not just my education. i don't want to get into a master's program i want to get into a phd program. i tried and the first time around was not so succesful, i would guess partly because of languages. i just honestly feel so torn between staying close to home and going so far away. and all my family can talk about is how awful it is how i am going so far away for so long, and how they won't see me for years, etc etc etc, and so on top of this i am just overcome with guilt and i really don't know what to do.

Answer 1

You know what you are doing is the best thing for you. Its only going to be two years and you'll learn a lot in that time...Good Luck :)

Answer 2

So the question is?... I guess you are asking whether you should study abroad and if so, for how long?
I think traveling is a wonderful thing. It opens your eyes to masterful things and helps you find yourself. It is always easiest to take the easy way out but what would you gain from staying at home? If you feel truly passionate about history and traveling, I think you should travel. But if there is something keeping you home (like sickness in the family or kids), you have to follow your heart and decide what is MOST important to you.
Are you certain you have explored all your options? Is study abroad the only way to gain entrance into a Master's history program? I would be sure I examined all my options closely and perhaps speak with someone already in the field that you want to get into for guidance.

Answer 3

What you are feeling is completely normal. It would be bad if you could care less about your family--I include the dogs in that category.
You know what you want to do and you are doing it--kudos to you.
You sound like a very accomplished young woman with a great head on her shoulders.
Technology makes it very easy to keep in touch with loved ones AND the special people you meet will become a family of sorts.
I tell my son that I love him, but There is such a big, exciting world to explore, I would be disappointed if he lived in our town.
I would be very proud of you if you were my daughter.