DEAR HARRIETTE: I am going to study abroad in Spain next semester as a junior in college, and I am excited as I worked extremely hard to raise the money to be able to go. I come from a low-income background, so I had to either raise the money or abandon my dream of studying abroad. I have a friend who is also going and was able to raise enough money to cover tuition but hasn’t thought much about how she is going to be able to afford her daily expenses while in Spain. I want to be able to travel through Europe and spend a lot of money on experiences while there. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to do this with my friend because she won’t have the money. I will feel like a horrible friend leaving her every weekend to go explore Europe; however, I have been looking forward to this experience since I was in high school and have dreamed of this moment. Am I a bad person for putting myself first and traveling without my friend? -- Summer Abroad
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DEAR SUMMER ABROAD: Talk to your friend now and urge her to take next year seriously. If you are willing, share with her some of the resources you used to raise money to study abroad. Being a good friend in this regard means being willing to share some of the gems that you learned through your hard work and perseverance. Tell her that you intend to explore Europe and that you have planned it out. She will be able to join you only if she raises more money. Your gift to her can be to share a bit of your roadmap, but you should also be prepared to travel solo. You have carved out your own life. Now it is time to live it.