Studying abroad is a unique, one-of-a-kind undertaking that’s not to be missed. Rather than sticking to your hometown or even to a distant town in your home country, going abroad provides a totally different experience to what’s come before. Here are a few suggestions about how to get the most from being a foreign student.
Stay in a Higher Quality Collegiate Accommodation
Staying in a higher quality accommodation removes much of the fear associated with staying abroad to study. When thinking about studying in Valencia or Madrid, Spain’s bustling capital, the size of these cities can be a bit intimidating. However, when searching for student accommodation in Spain, consider going upmarket to negate these concerns. Deluxe student accommodation from Collegiate is provided to discerning students who care about their safety and comfort. They offer suitable accommodation across the UK, and in key cities in both Portugal and Spain too. Their student apartments and studios for rent provide comfortable furnishings, large beds, and reliable, fast Wi-Fi connections to get classwork completed on time too.
Embrace the People and Cultural Differences
While abroad, it’s a perfect opportunity to learn more about a foreign culture, enjoy the local cuisine and get to know the people.
Local students from the foreign city where you’ll be located, or other regions, will want to share their college adventure with you. It’s far more inclusive when you are the student who’s away from home than when you’re the local.
Be sure to ask for pointers about the do’s and don’ts in the local area so that you don’t make any social mistakes. Every country and even different cities have specific cultures which sometimes must be observed by everyone. So, ask friends that you meet how to best fit in.
Create a Plan for Your Trip
Plan for how you will spend your time, with the aim to return as a more well-rounded person. Studying to get excellent grades is clearly important, but you should also step outside your comfort zone by seeing and experiencing things that you haven’t done before. This could be anything from trying the best seafood paella in Madrid to hanging out with locals your own age.
Do some research to see what places you’d like to visit while in the country. Not every place will be accessible, but there will certainly be interesting sites to see nearby. You can do the tourist thing, but later get recommendations from new friends about places that only a local person would know about.
Don’t Be Afraid to Learn the Language
While no one expects you to become fluent even on a stay of a few months, it never hurts to learn a few common words and phrases. It will make your stay more manageable day-to-day.
You won’t have to ask for help at every avenue. Also, use Google Translate to get some immediate help with communication. For instance, you can type or speak English into the app, and it will give you a Spanish translation to show a Spanish speaker. This can be a real lifesaver.
Studying abroad is a fantastic opportunity to travel and see a bit of the world. It broadens your knowledge, especially if you’ve not travelled much previously.