How To Prepare To Study Abroad

Studying abroad is one of the most amazing and nerve-wracking events that could happen in your life. Not everyone has the opportunity to study abroad as there are plenty of competitors and qualifications you need to surpass. But, if you’re one of those who are able to live and study overseas, you should maximize your chance and ensure that you prepare yourself upon arrival.  

Studying away from your home can be challenging, especially if you don’t know anyone around. However, with the right preparation, you can survive your time abroad and be able to work your way, allowing you to enjoy what the country has to offer while gaining the education you need.  

Moreover, below are the ways on how you can prepare to study abroad.

 

Learn The Language 

Unless you’re moving into a country that uses the same language as you, you should first try to learn their language before you arrive. This way, you won’t have trouble communicating with the locals and you’ll be able to make it through quickly.  

To learn faster and more thoroughly, you should consider getting Japanese lessons or whichever language you need to know. With a language teacher, you can have proper guidance about their manner of speech, along with the offensive things you could say, which may seem to be normal for you. This way, you can arrive peacefully and not cause harm to anyone.  

If you can’t enroll in a language class, you can consider looking for free language lessons online. There are helpful articles and videos online that can help you learn any language. However, don’t expect to master the language right away as help from a local or actual language speaker would be able to guide you thoroughly.  

 

Prepare Your Documents 

One of the first things that you need to prepare is your documents when studying abroad. This will help ensure a smooth process right from the airport down to your school of choice.  

You can begin by preparing your passport and visa, and ensuring that it won’t expire within six months of your return. Moreover, your passport should also have enough blank spaces, especially if you’re a frequent traveler. If you still don’t have a passport with you, you can easily apply for it and bring valid documents with you upon arrival.  

Apart from your passport and visa, you should also prepare the documents you need for your housing lodge and school admission. You can place them all inside an envelope so you won’t have the trouble of going through your bag when you need to bring out one. This will help for proper organization and easier access.  

 

Research The Culture And Laws 

Before arriving in the country of your new school, you should first research about their culture and local people. Through this, you can immediately know which kinds of gestures they highly appreciate and which ones may offend them. In different countries, some of your everyday actions at home might be offensive to some, which may cause disagreements.  

As you learn about their culture and tradition, try to do everything you can to respect what they do, no matter how odd they seem to be. Your main goal is to get along with them and appreciate what kind of tradition they still practice.  

Moreover, you should also research the country’s laws to avoid violations, which might put you in trouble, in jail, or might eve cause your deportation. To prevent any issue from happening, you should research their laws, and learn what you should and shouldn’t do at all times.  

 

Look For Housing Lodges 

If the school you’re enrolling in doesn’t provide any housing for your arrival, you should look for a good one independently. For your first year, it would be ideal if you could look for a housing lodge within the university or one that’s at least minutes away from it. While you may want to travel and explore what the city offers, the safest place is near the school, so you won’t get lost and have trouble going back and forth. You can just choose a different location after you’ve mastered the area.

As you look for a housing lodge, try to go for one that offers a low rent first, especially that you still need to work around your budget on your first few months. This way, you don’t surprise yourself with the expenses in your first year. Moreover, look for a place that has enough space for you to study peacefully during your exam period  

 

List Down Emergency Numbers 

Before heading to a different country, you should have a list of emergency contacts with you all the time. Apart from listing your family members, you should also list emergency hotlines, such as the emergency room and your home country’s embassy. This way, you won’t have any problem contacting them if you find yourself in trouble.  

As you list down emergency numbers, you should also know where you can find them and how to get there. This will help you save time from calling their phones in case all lines are busy. 

 

Pack Efficiently  

Before you pack your favorite clothes, you should first know what kind of temperature and weather a country has. This will prevent you from bringing plenty of things that you won’t be able to use. It would be a waste to carry your coats if you’ll be living in a tropical country. As you research their weather, you’ll know exactly know what to bring with you.  

Apart from your clothing, you should also know the voltages a country uses so you can leave your electronics behind. You can easily purchase cheap ones at local stores upon arrival. Moreover, you should only bring small toiletries with you and just buy regular-sized ones once you’ve settled into your new home. This will help to avoid spills and carrying way too much in your bag. If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, you should bring an extra pair with you.  

As you pack for your personal items, don’t forget to pack few memories of your family and home so you can relieve yourself from homesickness, especially that you’re going to stay there for a while.  

 

Conclusion  

Studying abroad is a huge step that you shouldn’t miss out on in your life. Not only will you be able to live in a different country, but you get to learn new culture and make new friends. While it might be terrifying to stay in a different country, proper preparation will help put you at ease. To make yourself extremely comfortable, try to pick a country wherein someone you know lives. This will help you get around your ‘new home’ quickly.