Traveling abroad can seem daunting and overwhelming, but taking that first leap towards studying abroad could change your life for the better! The people, the culture, the sights, the food and so much more are waiting for you to discover.
My name is Sydney Biggerstaff and I spent this past summer living in Barcelona, Spain. Summer 2022 will go down as the best summer ever, but it was not always easy! I traveled to Europe by myself and moved in with a host family. Everything around me was extremely unfamiliar, but I loved every second.
Here are 5 tips for studying abroad that impacted my time in Barcelona!
Keep a Journal! No matter how long your time is abroad, each day will be memorable and transformative time in your life. Journaling and documenting the new experiences is a great way to digest everything that you are taking on. I started a personal instagram dedicated to posting a daily update for each day I lived abroad. It was a way to keep my friends and family engaged while I lived abroad this summer, but it is also something I really treasure having. Being able to look back on specific days is so special to me. I encourage you to write your experiences, take all the pictures and videos, but do not forget to soak up the moment.
Invest in the people you meet abroad! Community can be hard to find no matter where you are in the world. We want to encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and not only make friends abroad, but invest in them. My biggest fear going in to the summer was how lonely it was going to feel after being surrounded by community constantly during the school year. Although there were days that were difficult without my best friends, I had the opportunity to meet people all over the world. I love having that social media has kept us in touch still to this day!
Start Each Day with an open mind! You never know what might happen when you are living abroad. It's not always in people's comfort zones, but you will grow and learn so much about yourself as you learn to navigate living in another country.
Be patient! I know, sounds easy... right? Learning how to navigate public transportation, the currency exchange, the language barrier and other hardships may be difficult in the moment, but you are gaining valuable skills in the process. It can get frustrating when you do not get something on the first try, and I definitely understand where you are coming from! I remember the first time I got lost trying to figure out the subway system in Barcelona and how defeated I felt. By the end of the summer, I was getting asked for directions and knew the Metro like the back of my hand. The more patient I was with myself, the easier the transition was for me. Each day is exciting, but remember to take a deep breath when things might not go right!
Enjoy Every Second, but remember the importance of studying or working! I spent two and a half months living in Barcelona and traveling around Europe on the weekends. I worked an internship abroad and worked Monday-Thursday. Make sure to show up for your classes, study for your exams and invest quality time into your studies... that's why you are there!
Study abroad is full of so many unexpected surprises and blessings. Using these 5 tips when you live abroad will help the transition become a little easier and for your time abroad to be even sweeter! We hope these 5 tips encourage you to take the next steps to find a study abroad program that best fits you!
// SB
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