Students Abroad: Settling in

As a student living abroad, settling into a new city can be an exhilarating but also confusing experience. You are not fully a tourist passing by nor are you making a move that involves creating a permanent home; in fact, you feel something entre les deux. In just a short span of 4 to 8 months, you become surrounded with new tastes, sights, and sounds that bring about a whirlwind of all kinds of emotions. 

The challenge, of course, is that given this short period of time, you must quickly find enough comfort to combat homesickness while channeling your inner explorer in order to get the full experience. Essentially, you’re trying to find the familiar in the strange while writing a long must-see travel list. With this in mind, here are a few tips from a fellow traveler on how to settle into your new city.

1. Get acquainted with the country’s social rules

One of the most enlightening and embarrassing moments you can experience abroad is getting into an awkward situation because you weren’t aware of the local “code of conduct”. For many, sticky and uncomfortable situations will be the reason to become more familiar with a foreign culture. In France, it is normal to greet one another with two “kisses” on the cheek; except this gesture does not actually involve kisses but a brush of one cheek against the other with a “mwah”. Knowing such small particularities can go a long way in helping you feel confident about how you should behave.

1. Don’t be scared to talk to strangers

This piece of advice is not overrated. If you’re moving to a new city completely alone, feeling comfortable striking up conversation any chance you get is one of the most important things you can do.  Checked into a new residence and heard your neighbors blasting some music? Pop your head in with a quick “hello”. Better yet, ask about the nearest amenity or grocery store. This way you’ll get acquainted with fellow exchange students right away and get pointers from people who know the city well. You’d be surprised how open and helpful people are.

1.  Sort out your finances

This point can’t be stressed enough. Make sure to take out “emergency cash” before you leave to have money for immediate expenses (e.g. taxi, hotel, food) as well as for unanticipated ones. Doing this will save you transaction fees, a bad exchange rate, and panicky searches for an ATM. Once you get to your host country, open a local bank account to have easier access to your money. Most banks will have student deals and will help you with the process. Lastly, look into any social assistance that you can get from the local government. Many provide discounts, bursaries, and stipends to foreign students.

1. Continue practicing an activity/hobby that you love doing

The first couple of weeks in a new country will involve culture shock, homesickness, jet lag, and overall bewilderment. But if you make the effort to continue doing something that you love, you will regain a sense of your identity that is much needed in an unfamiliar environment.  Go for a run, read a good book, cook up a storm—whatever it is that gets you to your happy place, remember to do it. If there’s an opportunity to do something you love with others—bonus points; this way you’ll meet more people as well.

1. Take time to appreciate different types of learning

For many exchange students, the marks they receive while abroad don’t actually influence their GPA. Some see this exemption as an opportunity to party 24/7, while other dedicated students will focus too much on academics, missing out on all the other fabulous parts of an exchange. The solution? Have a balance of both. Studying in another country is insightful in the sense that you learn by being in a completely different system with professors who will often offer new perspectives. However, remember that being in another country naturally gives you the chance to learn about cultures and languages from your surroundings. Don’t miss out on student nights, outings, parties, and day trips with interesting people.

If you ever get homesick or don’t feel like going out and exploring, you can take a day to relax and bum around; but don’t let this turn into a habit. You’ve been granted with a chance to try many exciting new things and the last thing you want is to come back home thinking that you’ve missed out on something. Do your research, talk to people, and find out the must-sees of where you’re living. From time to time, it’s completely acceptable to kick yourself in the butt to get out of your comfort zone. You won’t be disappointed.

Bon voyage!

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