It’s the beginning of the school year, and whether you’re a Freshman, eager to learn about the study abroad opportunities college has to offer, or a Senior returning home from overseas, your interest and experience in traveling is something that can completely transform you. You’ve seen your friends’ photos from their travels ignite Facebook and Instagram. From London, Paris, and Tokyo, to Barcelona and Beirut, the world is full of diverse cultures and natural beauty, and joining your friends in the study abroad hall of fame is definitely something to aim for. Here are nine ways study abroad will make you a better woman, ready to take on whatever the universe may throw your way.
1. You’ll be more confident than ever before.
Studying abroad has its ups and downs. You’ll be trying so many new things, sometimes failing, but always having to get back up on your feet and learn from your mistakes. Soon enough your host country will feel like home and the things that challenged you in the beginning will start to feel easier. This will give you a huge boost of self-confidence and self-trust, and you’ll figure out that you can overcome much greater obstacles than you thought.
2. You’ll become an expert at making new friends.
Starting over fresh and meeting a whole new group of foreign students may seem scary at first, but it’s important to know that others are in the same boat as you and everyone will eventually open up. Putting yourself out there and getting to know new people, as well as experiencing the trials and tribulations of studying abroad with them, will make you best friends for life. Now you know that wherever you go, making friends will never be something to be afraid of.
3. You’ll have a better understanding of cultural differences.
From different languages to different sides of the road, a lot can happen when you move to a different country. Every culture has its own intricacies and traits that make it unique. During your time abroad, you will begin to understand the similarities and differences between your way of living and theirs, and become equipped to meet and work with people of other cultures from around the world.
4. You’ll become a more thankful and giving person.
Being in a new country on your own will make you realize how luxurious home is. You’ll have a smaller or shared living space, maybe have to take your clothes to a Laundromat, and might not even have air conditioning or a shower depending on where you’re studying. This will make you appreciate and value your home and your own country like never before.
5. You’ll be able to overcome the things that scare you.
Communicating with people in a foreign language, finding your way to your new internship, and trying new foods that you may not be familiar with are all part of the study abroad package. You may find trying new things uncomfortable or scary at first, but over time you will overcome this fear. Some of the activities that scared you may even become some of your favorite pastimes or hobbies.
6. You’ll have a stronger love for family and friends.
When you’re abroad, homesickness or FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) are common. Being away from home for so long, you’ll start to understand and appreciate your relationship with friends and family better. When you come home, you’ll feel incredibly blessed to have your family’s support and company once again.
7. You will be able to manage money better.
Finances are a part of being an adult and it just so happens that when you’re dealing with your own finances in a foreign currency, you pay a lot more attention to your spending habits. After learning to count foreign money, whether it is Euros or Pesos, you’ll become an expert at keeping track of your funds. If you don’t, you might be stuck eating peanut butter and jelly out of a jar for the rest of your semester abroad.
8. You will learn to be independent.
Having help from family and friends is something we all take for granted. We realize this when we are forced to start fresh and take on a completely new culture on our own. Being abroad will quickly force you into seizing hold of your adulthood, and doing things independently will to make you feel proud and accomplished.
9. You’ll have more stories to tell than Shakespeare himself.
From the good times to the bad, studying abroad will have you telling tales for years to come. Remember the time you got stranded on a beach in Sydney overnight with your girls, or the time you and a group of friends took a trip to Ireland and the bus broke down in the middle of the nowhere? Or when you met Benedict Cumberbatch on the red carpet in Leicester Square, or got up close and personal with a sea turtle while snorkeling in Fiji? No matter where your travels take you, you’ll have memories to last a lifetime, and a new and improved you to go along with them.