Two months ago, I moved to Geneva, Switzerland, and have been thriving ever since! After experiencing this transition and now becoming accustomed to European life, here are five pieces of advice to know before living abroad:
- Put time into choosing the right city for you
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Living in Europe at some point during college had always been a dream of mine, but when it came time to choose a city, I feared making the wrong choice. To help decide, I thought about what I truly wanted out of my time abroad, which was academic and professional growth. Geneva then became my number one choice quite easily, as it was the best possible city for my professional interests and future plans.
But living in Geneva meant I would face linguistic barriers, as I didn’t know any French (like any). At first, I considered a Spanish-speaking country instead, as I would be able to apply the language I had been learning for a decade. But this drawback was something I could overlook because Geneva’s advantages outweighed other factors for me. Sure, going grocery shopping can be a struggle at times, but I’ve become used to awkwardly nodding and smiling when being asked if I want the receipt.
Another priority of mine was the living situation. Some people enjoy independent living, while others prefer traditional, dorm-style residences. In Geneva, I knew I’d have the opportunity to live with other students from my university and universities across the US, and having this little bubble was definitely a huge appeal factor. In short, start researching early, know your priorities, and definitely do not rush this critical stage of choosing the right city for you!
- Do not create travel itineraries before you arrive
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Of course, the excitement of living abroad sparks the urge to create highly detailed itineraries even before you arrive. But, this only puts pressure on yourself to constantly make sure everything goes perfectly according to plan. As much as my Type A personality wanted to make an excel sheet with details for every week, I stopped myself because of what I had heard from others who had lived abroad. When you arrive, you will most likely meet people to travel with and make plans together as a group. This way, you will also end up traveling to more places than you had imagined — all because you were flexible, learned about more destinations when you got here and took things week by week. I promise planning everything as you go is actually not as stressful as it may sound!
- Be extra attentive
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This is especially important when traveling. Pickpocketing is big in Europe, so you have to be extra aware not only of your belongings but also of how you present yourself. If you look like you are lost, you will be easily identified as a tourist. So even if you don’t know what’s going on, look confident and travel in a group! I also recommend packing very lightly in order to travel comfortably. Being extra attentive and aware of everything around you is important both in having stress-free traveling experiences and in living more in the moment and paying attention to all the beauty around you. I’m happy to say that my phone screen time has been WAY lower than what it is back in Boston.
- Say yes to everything
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Anyone who knows me knows I am a very picky eater and never a last-minute type of person. But when I got to Europe, everything changed. My lactose intolerance suddenly disappeared when presented with exquisite Swiss cheeses, and I became a lot more willing to try new things. If a friend wants to hop on the train to explore a new city after class, I will be there. If we have to reroute and head somewhere different, I’m ready for a new adventure. This was a bit uncomfortable at first, but being open to anything is important to truly enjoy living abroad. Back when we knew absolutely nothing about each other, my friends and I booked an impromptu trip to Paris, and it ended up being the most amazing time!
- Make the best of Every. Single. Moment.
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My office here in Geneva gives us the option to work from home for part of the week if we desire. Sometimes the last thing I want to do is get out of bed at 7 in the morning, but I know that being able to work in Geneva is not something to take for granted. So I go to work in person every day, take frequent adventures during my free time, and try to experience any and everything I can, whenever I can. After all, I know this will all go by way too fast, so you really do need to savor every single moment.
The past two months have been the best two months of my life, and I hope your abroad experience is the same! I’ve met so many incredible people, seen many iconic places, and experienced so much personal and professional growth! In the process, I also got to take an International Law course with the former foreign minister of Madagascar, which was pretty cool.
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