Wait…What?
Alright hear me out. With all the new Pokémon Go craziness happening, it sparked an epiphany: I could relate Pokémon to anything. I mean they’re cute, dark, powerful, awesome, you name it — there’s a Pokémon. So let’s run with this, shall we?
1. When you leave to study abroad tomorrow but you haven’t started packing:
JYNX (#124)
Jynx’s has the ability Oblivious, which keeps the Pokémon from being infatuated or falling for taunts. That would be useful against those fifteen-second countdowns Netflix has to distract you from packing. Plus that crazy look on Jynx’s face is exactly your expression when you realize it’s 1 a.m. and you leave in t-minus 6 hours.
2. Or you’ve been ready to leave for weeks, leaving no chance for last minute panic attacks:
MR. MIME (#122)
Look at him, relaxing without a care in the world. Mr. Mime is a psychic Pokémon, meaning he’s seen this day coming for weeks! Just like you who circled your calendar the day you booked your flight. Eat your American junk food to your heart’s delight, it may be the last you have until you return stateside!
3. How you look showing up to the first day of classes:
DRAGONITE (#149)
Dragonite is capable of circling the globe in just 16 hours, which is a little shorter than your flight to Australia. Not only that, but Dragonite’s a very friendly Pokémon, although a little shy. Kinda like your first day of studying abroad, hmmm?
4. When it’s the first night in your host country and you are ready to explore:
CLEFAIRY (#35)
“On every night of a full moon, groups of this Pokémon come out to play.” Just like you and your new study abroad friends who are ready to hit the town!
5. How you feel when you are struggling with the foreign language:
GLOOM (#44)
Gloom is……wait for it….. GLOOMY. It is known for releasing a foul smell when faced with danger, similar to the way I wish I could fall into a hole when I don’t know what to say. And I’m not sure why Gloom is constantly drooling from its mouth. For us abroad, it’s probably because of the delicious scent of street foods available.
6. And how you feel when you are totally rocking the foreign language:
MACHOP (#66)
Machop’s muscles never get tired and neither does your brain! You’re absorbing every vocabulary word in sight and talking more and more in-depth with your international friends. Machop is fist-bumping you congrats because you are totally ace-ing this foreign lingo!
7. When you’re two months in and a total pro at adapting to your surroundings:
EEVEE (#133)
Check out that smile across Eevee’s face. It looks just like yours when someone asks you for directions in your host city! Eevee is known for the ability to adapt to its surroundings, as evidenced by its many forms of evolution. Congratulations, you’ve adapted too, your host city now feels like a second home.
8. How you look while your host family prepares their traditional meals:
LICKITUNG (#108)
Have stomach, will eat.
9. And how you feel after that amazing lunch your host family made:
SNORLAX (#143)
Snorlax is the epitome of you. You are the epitome of Snorlax. It is one of the most docile Pokémon and all it does is sleep and eat. Sounds like you’re overdue for a siesta.
10. When you start to feel homesick:
CUBONE (#104)
Grab the tissues because Cubone is always homesick — his Pokedex description is the saddest I’ve seen: “It pines for the mother it will never see again. Seeing a likeness of its mother in the full moon, it cries. The stains on the skull the Pokémon wears are made by the tears it sheds.” …. I’m not crying.. There’s just something in my eye.
11. When finals are coming up and you remember you’re STUDYING abroad:
PSYDUCK (#54)
Psyduck generates brain waves “that are supposedly only seen in sleepers.” That probably didn’t help in class. Time to start cramming like usual, only thing is you keep seeing the beach across the street calling your name! Help!
12. When you have to say goodbye to your host family/country:
WHISMUR (#293)
Once Whismur starts crying, it can’t stop. The Pokémon cries and cries until it falls asleep out of exhaustion. Sound familiar to those returning back home? Tries not to cry, cries a lot.
13. When you return from studying abroad and can’t stop talking about it:
TOGEPI (#175)
Togepi stores up feelings of happiness inside its shell and then shares them with others, kinda like you share all your stories abroad with friends back home. (Only no one gets sick of Togepi.)
14. And when you return from studying abroad and someone talks negatively about your host country:
MANKEY (#56)
Mankey is able to fly into a “towering rage” almost instantaneously, just like the way you do when someone starts bad-mouthing the city you spent a semester in. They better watch out because soon you’ll be yelling “YOU’VE NEVER EVEN BEEN THERE!” with crazy eyes to match.
15. And finally, when you can’t wait to go abroad again and try more new things:
PIKACHU (#25)
Ah, Pikachu. Pikachu loves new things so much, it blasts them with a jolt of electricity. When you go abroad once, it’s never enough and you get the travel buzz. Why don’t you look into our exciting and electric programs today? Too many puns? Shocking.
Are you playing Pokémon Go abroad?
If you are, send us your photos catching Pokémon! We want to see where in the world they appear. A Geodude at The Cliffs of Mohr? A Lapras on a Costa Rican beach? Send them today!
To send your photos:
Email us at Amanda@usac.unr.edu
OR
Tag us on social media at @studyabroadusac
Gotta Catch ‘Em All!
-USAC
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