5 Ways Studying Abroad Helped me Move Abroad

Studying abroad can be like dating. It helps you get to know yourself, and to know what you like/don’t like about your native and adopted countries. I wanted to experience a different country when I studied abroad–but I didn’t realize that it would help me lay the foundation to later move abroad and establish an international life. If you think you have the goal to transition overseas, studying abroad first can give you great tools to make that happen. Here are 5 ways studying abroad helped me move abroad.
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1. It gave me confidence. I know some people teaching in my program who had never left the States before they decided to move here, and honestly I have no idea how they did that. I’m like Chien-Po in Mulan when they’re about to take a bath—I like to dip my toe in the water before I dive in wholeheartedly. Looking back, that was what studying abroad was like for me. Here you are, all of a sudden, where the streets all have different names, the food has different textures, and you are all sorts of discombobulated. But every new time that you get off at the correct metro stop instead of taking it the wrong direction, or manage to do your grocery shopping in the native language, it builds a new brick of confidence. You’re across the world, away from your support system, and taking care of yourself. Go you!

2. It gave me a taste for adventure.
Well, I guess, a taste for more adventure, haha. When I was in college, moving abroad sounded exciting, but I wasn’t sure if being away from family and familiarity for a permanent time was realistic. But as I gained my bearings studying abroad, I began to see that making a move could be doable. More than that, it made me curious how the experience would grow once I was there for a more invested time.

3. It gave me more common sense.
Y’all…if you know me (or ask my boyfriend), you’ll know that more often than not, my head is up in the clouds. If somebody told me that “gullible” was written on the ceiling, I’d probably look up to check. I always felt safe while studying abroad, but there was a new emphasis on being aware of my surroundings. I was an ocean away from home, and if something went wrong, I couldn’t call my mom to pick me up. I love to assume the best of people, but when you’re vulnerable and new in town, you have to make it your business to become informed, and to know how to stick up for yourself. This came in really handy when I moved abroad–I had a more realistic view of the world (even if only a little), and I think that’s helped me avoid some trouble.

4. It gave me idea of where I want to end up.
Growing up in a small town, I was always determined to move to a big city when I accomplished adulthood. Little did I know that there were as many different flavors of cities as there were brands of cereal at Trader Joe’s. Being able to study abroad twice in two separate cities–London and Copenhagen–gave me an idea of the atmosphere I’m comfortable with. Turns out, for all of my years idealizing England’s capital, London was just too hustle and bustle for me. And as cool as the Danes are, I just never felt like I could be classy enough to fit into the social scene. But there were still things I learned I loved in a city (like clean public transport, ayoooo Denmark), or free museums (whassup London). True, Budapest was one of my only options to move abroad, but I still had a better idea of what I wanted to seek out once I was there.

5. It opened my eyes to professional opportunities.
Before studying abroad, I thought that the most plausible way to move abroad was to work for some big company for years and years before they transferred you to an overseas location. But as I dipped my toe into the expat community, I found out that many different roads can lead to an international life. There were people working remotely, teaching English, or even just volunteering for a little bit  until their three month period in the Schengen zone ran out. Even though I had never considered being a teacher, I learned about the opportunities it can give you, and well…here I am living in Budapest 🙂

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Leaving your country, your family, and your familiarity behind can be hard, whether it’s for a 4 month semester studying abroad, or a one year teaching contract. But take it step by step, and you might be surprised where you end up! It’s the little chances that make up the big decisions, after all 🙂
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Have you ever studied/lived abroad? Where? Let me know in the comments below!