Studying abroad and living as an expat has become very common in the last 20 years, some may considered it a trend but it’s first of all an adventure and a « rite of passage » to another lifestyle.
Living abroad is amazing, it has numerous perks: you can improve/learn a language, you meet new people, you discover new cultures, new food, new habits etc. But don’t be fooled, there will also be hard times, you will miss your family/friends and food from back home, might have difficulties passing some exams… Anyway, this is nothing compared to what you will feel when you have to leave.
You don’t know it yet but this semester/year abroad will completely change you and your way of thinking. You thought you knew who you were but you didn’t – or not really. Living abroad is going to relish the true you.
So here are 5 reasons you should take the plunge:
1- It’s an adventure
You might not be “the cool kid” back home, someone who does crazy stuff but trust me everyone is going to look at you in a different way when you go to live abroad. Because, even if you don’t think you are, leaving for the unknown makes you very brave (and maybe a little bit crazy)!
2- You will bond with foreigners who will become your best friends
If you think you will avoid people from your nationality you are mistaken: your will for sure make friends with people from your birth country (or people sharing your language), it is natural, human beings tend to stay with their peers. But you will also meet plenty of other people, and eventually you’ll become best mates and share crazy stories with them. If the relationship is strong enough you will keep in touch after the Erasmus and even meet up again.
3- You English will improve considerably
Even if you are not staying in an English speaking country you will meet people that do not speak the country’s language therefore you will speak English with them. I went on an Erasmus exchange in Italy and ended up speaking a lot of English. Of course you always improve the country’s language when you go out and interact with the locals, or if you live with them. I was lucky to share a flat with two Italian girls.
4- You will travel, a lot
Your university might organise day trips or weekend trips, if not you will surely organise them with your new Erasmus buddies to discover the surroundings. Check the Erasmus associations which are quite good at organising affordable trips (ESN for example). And if you’re fresh off the plane it’s an easy way to meet people. Also join random events on your arrival such as a free city tours, food tastings etc.
5- You will discover who you are
I can only speak for myself, maybe it’s not the case for everyone but after my Erasmus in Wales I knew I was not the same person.
It is very hard to leave, to say goodbye to your new friends, the place you’ve been living in for months, your new habits etc.
But the most difficult part is to come back home: it is nice of course, people are happy to see you and you are happy to see them but nothing has changed. Everything is the same as when you left, except you. You are different and you have to go back to this life.
Maybe you don’t want this anymore, and here comes the hard part, you know you don’t want this life anymore, but what do you want exactly?
Only you can decide that part, so don’t let anyone influence your choices, after all we only have one life.
Julia's Travels 