Useful Guidance for Studying Aboard

Useful Guidance for Studying Aboard

Introduction

One is usually delighted with the fact that you are going to be studying abroad, away from home. Having moved from my home country to California for a period of four years, I had the experience of all the processes and preparations involved in this venture. It is good to note that studying abroad is not just like any other usual visit, but it entails living in a place far away from home for as long as the course takes. Without much preparation, this can turn to be an expedition full of stress. This is the reason as to why you should make adequate preparations before leaving. Going abroad definitely means a change of country, culture, food, traditions, language and so more.

1.      Preparations before departure

   There are various aspects of preparations before you leave for your study abroad. First, there is need to establish the reputation of the institution where you are going to study. This is important because there will be no refund once you have paid in the institution. You should make sure that you are fully enfranchised with most information about the institution and that you have made the correct choice of institution to study in. try to find out information about whether there is support given by the government or any available insurance for the foreign students.

Be sure to be aware of your accommodation arrangements and the place for your stay in the destination country. Prior preparation for a place to stay will work out better for you instead of waiting until when you arrive for your studies. Many countries do have a reserved place for international students to stay in on arrival though it may not be suitable for you. This is always aimed at making sure that the international students adapt to the destination environment before finally moving out on their own. Going there before studies commence and settling down in a place to live will help you adapt fast and easily.

Communication is a vital aspect of living in a foreign country. There is therefore need to find out the language that is used in the country where you are going to be studying in for instance, if English is your second language yet it is the language of use in the destination country, you will have to make plans to start learning the language slowly. Knowing the basics of the language will give you an advantage like being able to make friends faster and adapting to life in the destination country.

Mental preparation is the basic necessity of studying abroad. Leaving ones country for a foreign land needs you to be well prepared to handle the challenges that will come with it. This is even because you will be leaving your friends that you were used to for another foreign place where you will not know anybody. This calls for the strength of the mind and preparation.

Ultimately, the main aim of travelling abroad is to study. This focus should not be lost. You need to be actively involved in the various aspects of life in the university. You can do this through being academically aggressive and finding out about other additional courses that you can do. Find more about the events and competitions in the institution to ensure that you get to register in those that interest you because some of them may be having deadlines for applications which may be due before you get to the institution.

2.      Adaptation to the life style in the new environment.

Adapting to the lifestyle in a new environment is usually a challenge to most people, especially when you are in an environment where you do not know anyone. This is the scenario you will find yourself in once you land in the destination country that you are going to study in. there are however various ways and steps that you can take to help you adapt easily to life abroad and to carry out your study with less strains and stress.

  

You need to take your time and get accustomed with your new environment. Now that you have arrived in a foreign country and have already registered at your institution of your choice, you will have to learn a lot about your new environment and the responsibilities that lie ahead of you. It is advisable to move in to where you will be living days before you commence your studies. This will accord you enough time to know your environment, neighborhood and to know the general organization of where you will be staying before you start your studies.

It will be important to realize that at first everything around you will seem to be interesting since you have just moved in. however, you must be alive to the fact that this is set to change with time as you will be getting used to the place. Where you once called abroad will now change to be your actual home. The excitement will soon fade away and you will have to cope with the usual scenes that surround you. You will be feeling lonely and secluded for the first few weeks or even months. Do not try to live in denial but be speaking out about how you feel to other people that you feel are friendly to you. Handling emotions in a foreign country is the main solution of enjoying one’s stay in a land far away from home. In the institution, ensure that you make as many friends as possible to make you have a sense of belonging and not to be bored all the times.

Do not stop connecting with your family members and friends back in your home country. Always make some effort to find time to talk to those you endear and who you left behind at home. In doing so, you will reconnect with those back at home and you will be sharing with them your new experiences and livelihood in the foreign land. This will help ease the pressure of solitude as through telling them about your new home, you will get to be used to the environment and you will not be feeling like missing home all the times.

The best way to adapt in a new institution is getting in touch with those that are already there. Once you arrive in the institution and foreign country, make a point of meeting as much people as you can. Staying in the house or room will not make you any comfortable. You need to be going out regularly and meeting people so as to share your experiences and learn more about them. You need to learn to work with the culture and not to stand against it. Observation will help you a great deal to you as you will get to know how to respond to certain situations following the manner in which other natives respond to the situations. Always ask the local residents in cases when you do not know what to do, after all, you will be having a lot bunch of classmates around you. During your adaptation period, do not always rush into doing things or making decisions which you are not sure of.

3.      How to overcome homesickness

 Studying abroad needs preparation for homesickness. No matter how prepared and excited one is, feelings about missing home are bound to occur. It is important to note that for students who are studying abroad, feeling of being lonely, sad and bored are not unusual. However, you should make an effort of dealing with these feelings of homesickness before they get a toll on you and distract you from your main aim of studying in your new institution. 

  

You must be prepared for homesickness. This is the only way through which you can handle home sickness well. In getting prepared, you need to carry with you some of that will be reminding you about home. You can have some pictures of your home, family members and friends. Having some of the favorite music CDs that you like listening to will be healthy. You can also carry with you a favorite magazine. All these will help you have a close feeling of being home.

Building a network of friends and colleagues is important. While studying abroad is vital, the friends and colleagues will help in combating the feeling of being lonely. When you spend some time with your friends and colleagues, you will have a feeling of belonging and this will reduce the desire for your home. While abroad, always immerse yourself in the main activity that took you there, that is studying. However, there are a lot of additional activities that you can participate in outside the class work. Engaging in a lot of activities will keep you busy and take away the feeling of loneliness and homesickness. To do this, you can look for some part time job or internship to cover up for the free time that you will be having off your class work.

Sharing with others about personal feelings is an important step of dealing with homesickness. You should build friendship with the students who are studying abroad and who you have same feelings about leaving your home countries. You can always share how you feel and therefore feel better. In other circumstances, visiting a counselor can do a great help in dealing with home sickness. At your study institution, look out for the counseling services offered so that you can be guided on how to manage and handle homesickness.

Always stay in contact with your parents, family members and friends back at home. Staying connected to those you treasure and love will give you a sense of belonging. You can be sending them mails and photos online just to feel valued with those you left back at home. In that same sense, always feel and think positively about all the experiences that you encounter. You need to be appreciating the role of all the challenges as helping you to grow even stronger. Making a list of the exciting things that you have encountered in your stay in the foreign land can help you handle homesickness. Whenever you feel like you are missing home, looking at the list will give you a reason to be happy with your new dwelling place.

Do not be all by yourself. Find other interests that are non academic or academic that will help you bond with people. You can go out to movies, join a sports team, attend night schools, and attend parties and orchestras in the country. The more you become occupied and busy, the lesser you will think of home. Go out and find people who share a lot of common things with you. As much as you should be relating to the locals, find foreigners and be close to the so as to learn from them how they managed to handle cultural shock. Ensure that you do not visit home in the first five months or so of your stay to avoid breaking the adaptation that you were yet to fully achieve.