Doing a Year Abroad...
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The year abroad allows you to learn about yourself, mainly your capabilities and the realisation that you can still function outside of your comfort zone. It can actually be quite surprising and satisfying when you think about what you have achieved. The change in culture and the people I have met have helped me to mature and grow as a person. I have met people from North and South America and all different parts of Europe. Many of these people I know I will stay in contact with after leaving. They have taught me about different ways of life, languages and more personally, about myself. Lecturers will advocate the year abroad and try to inform you about it as best they can, but until you actually arrive at your destination, you will have no real idea of what’s in store for you. So I would advise taking a chance and remaining open minded. This is not to say that I wasn’t worried about things. I won’t lie; at times it’s not easy. I was leaving behind a long term boyfriend, a close family and a fantastic set of friends. Sometimes it helps to think that it is only ten months of the year and if you did have any real problems, then it wouldn’t be that hard to get home. Despite the reality of the distance, sometimes the idea of moving to the South of France felt like moving to the other side of the world. Nonetheless, this was something I’d resolved to do from day one of university and I’m glad I didn’t let my anxieties affect my decision. Both my current university, and the one at which I stayed in France had many schemes in place to ensure my experience was positive. They were also quick to iron out any potential problems and offer advice about all the nagging concerns. Some of the more common concerns will be about money, accommodation, fitting in, speaking the language etc, but as soon as I arrived at my destination, these anxieties rapidly dissipated as I had so much else to think about. My university runs their exchanges through the Erasmus-Socrates scheme and fortunately this means we receive an Erasmus grant, which provides some money to help fund living costs. As for accommodation, there are always people who have already completed a Year Abroad from your university. You can ask them about how they found their accommodation and other general questions. I think that the majority of universities however, will help you find accommodation. Either they will guide you to a website or actually help you secure a house or room in halls of residence. My university in France sent many emails about people looking for accommodation or about the accommodation available to students. This proved to be very helpful. So, what I’m trying to say is that when offered the chance to move away for a year, you should definitely consider it. The worries and anxieties you will have will not bother you for long and there are always going to be people who will help you. It is worth the moments of panic to come out the other end with an invaluable knowledge and a sense of achievement. Sarah Twigg - University of Birmingham
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There are many advantages to a year abroad. In terms of your CV it will look good, but more importantly it can become one of the most amazing and unforgettable experiences of your life. My degree course incorporated a year abroad, so it wasn’t a choice, but those who were able to opt for this experience agreed that it was definitely the best decision they’ve made at university.
