How can I enjoy myself abroad without worrying about my ex?

Wow. I am sorry you feel this way. You already said everything you need to hear.

There is no answer for you other than to suck it up. My worry for you is that you will attempt to continue to be codependent when you move, and that will hinder your ability to genuinely propel your life forward in this new experience.

Do not allow yourself to hang on so tightly when you leave. Resist the urge to stay in constant communication because you are lonely and unsure of yourself in a new and scary situation. I believe you are displacing your fears about your future (which sounds so amazing and exciting, congratulations!) onto this guy, which is classic codependent behavior. Realize the need to take care of and create a healthy you. You cannot control him, his life, or his behaviors as a way to avoid the fear of not being in control of your own life.

You will be OK. This is an wonderful opportunity. Open yourself to it fully, which you cannot do if you cannot let go. It sounds cliché, but your biggest regrets are the opportunities you don’t take, or in this case, the opportunities you don’t allow yourself to experience fully. This is a game changer moment in your life. Think about that, and not someone else.

@GloPro Thankyou. I needed to to hear that. Of course I already know everything you say is true, but sometimes I just need to hear it from someone other than myself. I second guess myself a lot.

You won’t believe how much your life will change in that 6 months. The independence you will gain will strengthen your core. When you miss him, just write him a hand written letter he can keep on his person and refer to when he’s having a hard time missing you, too.
It’s only 6 months. Although my hope for you is that you don’t want to come home!

Focus on your own life. Say affirmations like “X said that he will be fine while I am gone so he will be.” “I am living my life.” “I am volunteering my time; I will be present for that.”

You need to look hard at why you are so focused on your friend instead of your own life. I suggest therapy.

Yep i’ve been there to a certain extent. Get and stay busy. Write about it if you need to. Here’s a worksheet that helped me deal. http://www.endofstress.com/

Hopefully you’ll look back in a couple years and boggle at your state of mind. Oh hey and dont doubt yourself, be a wild woman instinctual strong free.

First, let me congratulate you on your upcoming experience. Immersing yourself in an other culture will enrich your life more than you can imagine – even if it is only 6 months. You will meet interesting people and make friends you will keep for life. The shared experiences help people bond.
Get everything you can out of this once in a life time adventure. Make every day count. Go to the festivals. Talk to locals. Shop in the local stores. Rather than sit in front of a laptop go outside.
If you must have a connection to home keep the line tenuous. No calls every day, no daily emails. Both sides of the connection will benefit. You will be pleasantly surprised to discover how well your friend will manage and find alternate support. His life will be enriched as well. Really!
Enjoy!

You might miss him a lot at first, but it will fade, you might not miss him much at all and the new chapter of experiences you will have on your new adventure might overtake your time and mind.you might even feel relief, it’s hard to know in advance, no matter what if you focus on your new life it will all work itself out. It all sounds very exciting! Physically leaving to go to a new city in my opinion will be very very good for you. It will be much easier to be apart being far away then with him nearby. I have a good feeling about it all, I hope it works out well for you. Make an effort to get to know people, don’t wait for them to approach you. A little fear is normal, but don’t let it stop or paralyze you.