Some things I learned
It has been almost 2 1/2 years since I came back from my study abroad in Scotland, and I miss it every day. I have traveled since then, because I got the itch and now I can’t help but want to see other places.
I was thinking today about some things I learned while I was studying and traveling abroad, and thought that I would share them.
1. When packing, get yourself 2 good size suitcases, but only fill one. If you can’t fit everything you are bringing in one suitcase, YOU HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF. Cull it down. Then, pack 1/2 of your stuff in each suitcase. That way, you have room to bring stuff back with you and you’re not lugging to gigantic heavy suitcases around foreign, unfamiliar airports.
2. Open a bank account with a bank that does not charge ATM fees for using someone else’s ATM and get yourself a debit card. Most banks in Europe and the UK that I came across do not charge fees either. Also, let that bank know BEFORE you leave the country each and every place you might be performing withdrawals.
3. Be polite and deferential when in another country, especially one where you don’t speak the language. I hear stories from people (especially about the French) about how rude and unhelpful people are when you can’t speak their language. I bought myself some phrase books and tried my damndest to communicate in the language of the country I was in, and I never had anybody brush me off or treat me poorly. I tried to be polite and apologetic when I couldn’t properly communicate. Most people thought I was funny for even trying and went out of their way to help.
4. Invest in some memory cards so that you can take high-resolution pictures. They are like memories that you can show other people!
5. Step outside your box. When you are studying abroad, don’t do the things you normally do at home, that’s not what you’re there for! Don’t sit in your room watching TV on the Internet, don’t just hang around your apartment all day, get out and explore! Explore your city, explore your country, make yourself familiar with your surroundings. Travel!
6. Research prices and things before you leave. Find out how much stuff costs where you’re going to be living. Example: In America, say a bottle of coke costs $1.75. In the UK, a bottle of coke will cost 1.75 pounds. The prices are pretty much the same, except that when I was there, the exchange rate was nearly 2-1, so I was actually paying $3.50 for that bottle of coke.
7. Pay attention to exchange rates!
8. Go to class. Even while you are having mounds of fun traveling and meeting people, remember that you are also supposed to be there too learn. Don’t waste this awesome opportunity to see what classrooms are like in another country. I was very pleased with the Scottish style of education, and I am glad to have taken the classes I did, because they gave me a new perspective on my field of study.
9. Be flexible and don’t freak out when things go wrong. Things go wrong. Its a fact- you have things go wrong all the time for you at home, too, I am sure. It just seems a lot more catastrophic when you are 3,000 miles or more away from home. DON’T FREAK OUT. There are people to help you through anything that might go wrong, whether it is a university official, your study abroad contact in America, or even just your roommates at school. Be calm, let someone know what happened, and take steps to fix the problem. Example: The money for my housing could not be paid by credit card, so I had to pay it in cash when I arrived at the school. The problem was that my debit account only let me withdraw 350 pounds per day, so I wasn’t able to pay in one lump sum the way I was supposed to. I started to freak and rushed over to the housing office, nearly in tears. The woman calmed me down after I told her the situation and we set up a payment plan. Problem solved!
10. I’m going to repeat this one again: BE FLEXIBLE. Studying abroad in another country is not going to be what you are used to at home. It isn’t supposed to be. So revel in it! Try weird food you never thought you would eat. Go visit places that you would normally shy away from at home. Make friends with people you might not normally talk to. And when things feel uncomfortable, take a deep breath and just go with it. You’ll either hate it or love it and either way you’ll have a story.
Love, Cathy
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