Preparing myself for the downsides of Studying Abroad…

Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience where a person pursues educational opportunities in a country different from their own. If you ask anyone who has studied abroad about their experience, chances are they will say something along the lines of “It was absolutely amazing! I wish I could do it all again!” Not to be a Pessimistic Patty but whenever I asked people “Did you really enjoy yourself?”, I was left a little unsettled when they omitted the“not-so-great” aspects of leaving their homes and living in a unfamiliar country for months at a time. I was expecting a little bit more drama, sadness and just a tad bit more heartbreak. In fact, asking someone about how their time abroad is quite similar to when a prospect student asks a 2nd or a 3rd year “So, do you like this school?” and that 2nd or 3rd year answers: “OMG! I love it here! It’s such a social-justice oriented school!” completely disregarding the fact that they spent the previous afternoon tearing their hair out while writing a 15-page paper that was due at midnight and the fact that they deal with microaggressions almost daily.

As we all may know, a college student experiences a number of highs and lows each and every semester and I imagine this is particularly true for students studying abroad. So, as a triple-checking, prepare for events months in advance,“Type A” personality, it was very important for me to mentally and physically prepare myself for my time abroad. I started by writing a single-spaced 3 page letter listing everything I am excited for, including learning a new language and enjoying South African cuisine for the first time. Soon after, I complied a list of the “not-so-great” experiences other students have had while abroad. After reading over the list a few times, I began to prep myself for the experiences I believe I am most susceptible to. Along with listing the “the lows of studying abroad” I will also include some tips that I have come across that may be helpful…

1. The first item on this list is probably the most common amongst students studying abroad and that is Culture Shock. According to Merriam-Webster, culture shock is the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes. Culture shock can happen in stages and is experienced differently by different people. Considering I grew up working class, I did not have many opportunities to travel far outside of New England. In fact, this summer was the first time I traveled by plane! For this reason, I believe I am very susceptible to experience culture shock. Since I do not know many people who have had this experience first-hand, I turned to the most reliable source for research on the human condition: YouTube! I came across a video by “sarahrichardsart” titled What nobody tells you about living and studying abroad! +10 Tips on overcoming it! In this video, Sarah explains the key to dealing with culture shock is to be self-aware of your emotions. She explains that is important to understand that sadness and feeling afraid may be a part of the experience, that way you are mentally prepared for this and not feeling as if studying abroad was a terrible decision. This is a great tip for me because I know if I tell myself, I may experience culture shock, when it happens, I’ll be able to better understand my feelings.
2. Homesickness is next on the list because it has happened to almost every person I know and I am sure I will be experiencing it quite soon. Homesickness is defined as the longing for one’s home while away from it. Considering I go to school in Massachusetts and live about an hour away, I have never actually experienced homesickness. I’ve always felt as if my family was accessible because they were always a phone call or a train ride away. While I am in South Africa, however, they will be thousands of miles away and even in a different time zone! Two ways I prepared myself for homesickness is 1) printing out lots of photos of my family (& Makalani too ^__^) and 2) Make a plan to communicate with my loved ones at least once a week. I’ve already told my family that I will be 5 hours ahead of them while in South Africa so we’ve decided if I call them around 5pm EST, we should be able to chat for a little while before I go to bed, which I am sure will be very comforting for me.
3. One tip that continued to come up when I was doing my research about studying abroad was Making ALOT of Mistakes. The experience of making mistakes or trying to avoid making mistake mostly pertained to language and communication with host families. While studying abroad, a person may be subjected to different languages. Even when traveling to countries where many people speak English, the dialect may be very different from your own. Considering the difference in language/dialect, it is very common for exchange students to misspeak or mispronounce words and/or names. There really is no way for me to prepare to make mistakes other than to be patient, with myself and with others and understand that making mistakes is part of the growing process.
4. Along with making a lot of mistakes, something I am really worried about is Picking up on Social Queues. When you are born and raised in a certain region, it is fairly easy to pick up on the unspoken social rules of that city, state or country. You become so accustomed to a certain way of life that navigating through social spaces comes as second nature. While in South Africa, I’m sure I will be very self conscious of my actions and speech because I will be foreign and ignorant to the social settings I’m being subjected to. A good friend of mine told me when trying to pick up on social queues of a new country, it is important to mimic those around you. She stated, “When you’re having dinner with your host family, look at how they sit, eat and talk and try your best to fit in. It may be difficult at first but you will become accustomed to your host family’s way of life in no time!”
5. The last item on my list is: Money. Money. Money! When people reflect on their time abroad, one of the last things they speak about is money, if they ever speak about money at all. I figure this is because many of the people going abroad have the privilege to rarely have to worry about money. As a poor/working class person, I find that money has been one of my biggest worries thus far. During the study abroad application process, the advisors handed out budget sheets to help students budget their money wisely. I was sure to take a few copies and I plan to fill them out once I get settled in. A budget sheet may be the best way to ensure that I am paying any bills that need to be paid in the U.S. without worrying about overspending while abroad.

As I prepare myself for my flight, I am filled with a mix of emotions. Although I am excited to see what South Africa has to offer, I would be lying if I said I was not also anxious and nervous. This list has helped me so far in not allowing these feelings of nervousness and anxiety override my excitement. I hope while I am abroad that I am able to adjust to all the highs and lows of living and learning in a different country. I have a great feeling that this may be the best time of my life, I just wanted to be as prepared as I possible can be for it!