So You Wanna Study Abroad, Do You? (Ep.1)

So you wanna study abroad, do you? (Ep.1)

Changing countries can feel like changing planets.
The buildings look familiar, the people look human, but suddenly the rules are different, and everything you thought you knew about daily life demands to be relearned.

Hopefully, reading about the experiences of students already living abroad can help bring you back down to Earth.

The bad news is no two study-abroad experiences are the same. Everyone’s experince depends on a mix of things; where you’re from, where you’re going, what passport you hold, what you value, what your goals are, and a hundred other factors people rarely talk about. That’s what makes advice about studying abroad frustrating. What worked for one person might completely fall apart for another.

I’m currently a student living in Germany, without prior German language skills, and I’m still trying to figure things out as I go. I’m not here as an expert, and I’m definitely not here to sell a dream. I just want to share some of the questions, struggles, and quiet moments that come with living and studying in a country that isn’t your own, in a way that’s honest, realistic, and hopefully motivating.

Of course, I’ll touch on the classic realities: never fully feeling at home, not quite fitting in anywhere, and trying to rebuild some sense of belonging far away from family and familiarity. But I want to approach these topics from a more educational perspective. What should you actually consider when applying to study abroad? What are the current realities of studying in Europe or elsewhere? What does daily life really look like once the excitement wears off?

Along the way, I’ll also be bringing in the perspectives of friends studying all over the world, from Taiwan and Japan to the US and Canada, because studying abroad isn’t one experience. It’s many, shaped by culture, systems, and chance.

This series isn’t meant to convince you to study abroad, or to scare you away from it. It’s simply an invitation to explore the reality of it with me. From the good to the uncomfortable and everything in between. Studying abroad is not a quick fix, and is definitely not a one way ticket to a happier or easier life. Yet, there is no denying that if you choose this path, you will grow in ways you may have not expected.