Leaving abroad to do your studies is an exciting and thrilling moment when you know that you are going to experience so many new things that will make you learn a lot about other cultures, people, and places. It is going to be the best opportunity to discover yourself since you are going to be surrounded only by strangers at the beginning. It is an important and big change in your life and that is why you should plan everything carefully so that you make sure it is going to be an amazing experience that you wish it will never end. Check below what you should know before you start packing for such a big step of your life.
Be careful about the budget
When you are young you are not so concerned about paying attention to the expenses and costs. But, from now own you need to start thinking like a grown up and realize that you are in charge of taking care of yourself. So, be aware of how you spend the money that you have because your parents are not going to be there to give you more money when you need it.
Find an accommodation
The place that you are going to stay in is extremely important since from now on it is going to be your new home. So, you have to make sure that you feel comfortable and excited about living there. Usually, Universities have dorms where international students can stay, but living in a dorm is not really so easy when you had your own room for so long. You can also find alternatives to Uni accommodation such as renting a place by yourself or together with other friends that you are going to make there.
Know the laws
Every country has different legislation, laws or unwritten rules. In order to stay away from any problems with the authorities, you should do some research before going to a new country and learn what are the laws that you did not know about.
Learn the culture
As in any other place, you are going to find a different culture than yours with customs that you might not know since you do not have them. however, you should do your research about the culture that you are going to live in from now on to avoid offending the locals by not respecting their customs. You also want people to respect your culture, so, make sure you do the same.
Find groups for expats on social media
Nowadays, it is really easy to create a network wherever you go using social media. There are many groups designed for expats living in a city or country, and you can find there a lot of useful information about every new thing that you have to deal with in a new place, ask questions and meet people that you can create beautiful friendships with.
Get all the documents required
Since you are going to a new country, you need to make sure that you have all the necessary documents such as passport, visa, and health insurance. Check online what are the legal requirements for where you are going and do not forget to get them all to avoid all the problems that you might have when you arrive there and see that you are not allowed to cross the border. Also, the health insurance is a must that you should definitely have since it is possible that you get sick, and going to the hospital in a new country without an insurance is going to be extremely expensive.
Learn how to use the common transportation
You are going to have to make this new place familiar to you since you are going to live there for a long time. Knowing how to use the common transportation such as bus, train, tram or metro, is a must for any student. If, however, you have your own car that you want to use it is going to be a little bit more difficult since your driver license might not be recognized.
Get to know the locals
The best way to experience properly a culture and a place are to know the locals living there. They know all the hidden tips, nice and cheap places that you should visit, and they can give you helpful information about anything that is still a mystery for you in their city.
Be open minded
You are going to meet a lot of new people with different nationalities, culture, and religion. That is why you need to be an open-minded person and show tolerance to whatever it is going to be new for you, even if you do not understand or agree with them. It is very important to have in mind that you always have something useful to learn from the others, so instead of judging them for being different, respect the differences between you and try to learn as much as possible from them.
Make friends
Moving to a new country is going to be really difficult in the beginning since you are not going to be close to your friends and family anymore. That is why you need to make a lot of friends that can support you and that you can have new experiences with. If you do not want to sit alone in your room all the time, it is not the right time to be shy, go out and attend as many events as possible so that you meet a lot of people that you can hang out with.
Discover yourself
This is the best time to discover yourself since you are now living on your own and you have to take care of yourself all the time. It is going to be difficult sometimes because you are going to miss everyone that you left behind when you moved to a new country and you will have to test your limits, but you are always going to find a solution to prove yourself that you are capable to be just fine on your own.
