On Why You Should Study or Work Abroad (or ideally do both)
When I lived abroad the first time — I was 19, ahead in all my courses in college, and feeling restless — definitely needing a change. I knew that I wanted to live abroad at some point during my college tenure (and my life after)- but the program and the location were important. Since one of my majors was English, I went to Goldsmiths- at the University of London. I wanted a challenge — and even though the UK system was different in terms of grading — there was no other place better at the time for me to really dive into the history or literature. The couple of months there- even though the language wasn’t a barrier- were hard. In a good way, but hard. It was tougher than I thought to meet Brits, and culturally — my bubbly pop personality was perceived as a little too welcoming, a little too warm.
London felt too short, so I signed up for six months in New Zealand at the University of Auckland — where I knew I would not get the same experience. The school was more of a commuter school, so meeting Kiwis was hard. I am not an outdoors person by any means, and living there really got me to appreciate nature in all her beauty. I was never a hiker before this, and while I don’t love it all the time (being short makes climbing over rocks a whole body sport), I can’t imagine my life without going to the national parks at some point.
When the opportunity came to work abroad, I was pretty ingrained in my life in NYC even though I was feeling an all time frustration with it. Funny how we are used to routine, and the comfort is insanely sweet, even when that routine is anything but pleasant. The trains are particularly horrible this summer, and even with my new beautiful place in Brooklyn (that took years to align for the perfect opportunity), something was missing — and I was aching to figure out what that hole was. I recognized the feeling, it was restlessness, and she was back to play.
Here are a couple of the headlines on how to make the best of a study or work abroad opportunity:
- Do it, even though it will make you uncomfortable, especially because it will make you uncomfortable. The most simple tasks in another county will feel harder and have an added layer of complexity. What it’ll do in the long run is make you react better to stressful situations, find independence, and really value your skills when your plans don’t go to plan.
- Be open to all experiences, even if you have written them off in the past before. People change, and you don’t know what you don’t know. I had this experience with Germany where I was on a temporary assignment. Surprisingly, Germany wasn’t even on my shortlist of countries. I didn’t love Germanic languages with a passion when I was growing up- and generally don’t eat much meat, potatoes, or breads. I was completely proven wrong with how much Germany has to offer, and it has quickly won me over.
3. Take pieces of home with you to make you feel grounded, but really be present when you’re there. The time abroad will be all too short, and you will really wish you took advantage of the your time there — hindsight is always 20/20. I have been gone three ways and there are days I wish I could do over — simply because I know so much more now.
4. Ask the locals what to do and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Some of the best tips are not listed online or through forums — which can be an overwhelming place to look for information.
5. Even the bad experiences will be worth leaving your comfort zone for. There will be aspects of it that might seem negative at first, but the overall experience will be a learning one. The world is much bigger than your 9–5 cubicle (or seat in an open floor plan). Make sure you’re seeing it — and not when you’re retired (a reality that most of us are embracing).
Have you lived or worked abroad? What would be your top tips?
Reth
