Adjusting to a New Country: The Most Important Lessons I’ve Learned So Far

“LIFE BEGINS AT THE END OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.”

I knew I wanted to study abroad well before I got to college – as a kid, I always wanted to live in a different country and immerse myself in a new culture.  Now, years later, I am three weeks into my AIFS program in London.  And somehow, it is even better than I imagined it would be. But that’s not to say that adjusting to London life has been a piece of cake.  One of the first things we were told at orientation is that even though we speak the same language, there are many cultural differences that we’ll pick up on right away.  I was really worried that it would take me several weeks before I would start to feel at home here.  But by week three, when I realized I didn’t have to check city mapper (yes, NOT google maps??) to figure out how to get home, I knew that I was finally starting to feel comfortable in a new city.

All of our advisors at AIFS have been fantastic on helping us get accustomed to a new country.  I had previous experiences traveling internationally by myself before this semester, so I definitely had a leg up.  That being said, I think even if I had never been on a plane before, the transition would have been worlds easier because of the AIFS staff.  After the first week of classes, we had a cultural adjustment workshop where we talked about the four phases of culture shock: honeymoon, frustration, adjustment, and acceptance.  Since I was still in the honeymoon phase at that point, I was thoroughly convinced that I would have no trouble – I would just skip the frustration phase completely…wrong!

The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is that sometimes, things will inevitably go wrong and there is nothing you can do to prevent it.  It’s all about how you deal with the little bumps in the road. It can be really easy to let a small inconvenience or negative experience ruin your day or week, but why dwell on the negatives when there are so many amazing things to see and do?  Of course, I didn’t always feel this way and it’s particularly hard to remember that in the moment but if you just give yourself a second to breathe and shift your perspective, it’ll pay off in the long run.  The good news is the frustration stage doesn’t last very long!

One of the hardest things about studying abroad is homesickness.  Back at home, I go to school almost a thousand miles away from my family, so I’m no stranger to the feeling.  Everyone has their own personal trick or piece of advice for how to beat homesickness, but I honestly believe that homesickness is inevitable and there’s not much you can do to make it go away.  However, I’ve found that having a routine keeps me from throwing a pity party.  That’s one of the best things about taking classes in a different country: school helps keep you on a steady schedule.  The other thing I like to do is find time (once a week, for example) to do something just for me.  Although I would describe myself as an extrovert, I still need some alone time to recharge.  So, I like to pick one activity or event to go to by myself and just soak it all in. Giving yourself that time really does ease the sense of panic than can come with being so far away from home.  Oh, and call your family!  We’re so lucky to live in an age in which Facetime exists – use it to your advantage.  I call my parents as much as possible just so I can look at my puppy (I miss him the most!). 

Last, but certainly not least: start thinking about your travel plans ASAP! One of the best things about studying in London (or anywhere in Europe) is that you are so close to hundreds of different places and each of them has something unique to offer – and it can be really cheap if you plan ahead.  In the first few weeks, I’ve already been to places I never thought I’d ever get to see and I am so grateful to be able to meet people from all over the world and get a glimpse of what life is like in places other than my own country.

These past three weeks have flown by and there’s still so much I want to see and do.  Whenever I’m feeling frustrated, I try to remember how lucky I am to be here and that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity – who knows if I’ll ever get to live in a different country again?  In the meantime, I’m going to soak it all in as much as I can (all while doing my homework, of course).