Tips for Studying Abroad
Erasmus, Study Abraod, Exchange Student Programs, there are many names, but they are all doing the same thing, sending YOU to a new country and culture while at the same time expecting you to study… Silly programs I know, but here are some videos that can help you “Survive Erasmus.”
We deal with things such as choosing classes, where to live, social life, health issues and much much more. Hopefully you get something out of these videos, and even if you don’t we hope you have a great time abroad… and that you SURVIVE ERASMUS!!!
WHERE TO LIVE WHILE YOU STUDY ABROAD
1. Dorm – good close to uni (sometimes) lots of students, cheap, bad limited space, sometimes cant have guests.
2. Apartment – good freedom, roommates, location, bad – expensive, roommates, bills, landlords.
3. Live with family – good get to know culture, have a new ‘mom and dad’, good for extremely different cultures or “less” safe locations, bad – “mom and dad” location
HOW TO CHOOSE CLASSES FOR ERASMUS AND STUDYING ABROAD
1. find out what classes are accepted by your home university.
2. go to the home university professor and ask them personally if the classes you want to take will count for you,
3. When you arrive ask other erasmus and normal students what classes are good there and take them. (make sure they are accepted at your home uni).
4. Go to class, your professor will be more likely to be nice to you and help with grade transfers if he or she actually know you.
5. choose the hard classes from your home university, they may be easier abroad (but ask other students).
6. Get your grades and transcript before you leave as it may take months for the foreign university to get your grades over to your home uni, which may make graduating on time difficult.
How To Learn the Local Language While Studying Abroad
Learning a language is never easy, but there are a few tips that can make learning a bit easier and a lot more successful.
1. Read out loud. This will help you get your tongue around harder words and get you practicing the language in two ways, the reading and the pronunciation.
2. Just speak! Do not worry about others, if you speak with confidence people will listen regardless of your mistakes. And the more you speak the better you will be at the language.
3. Live with locals. If you are living abroad try to live with a local family or make friends with locals as they can help you learn quicker.
4. Do not get frustrated. A lot of people get upset when people tell them their Spanish/Portuguese/German is not perfect. Do not get upset. These people will never be happy with your accent so do not let them bring you down.
5. Realize you will never be a native speaker. Unless you started learning when you were a child you will probably always have an accent, and your life of a double agent will be very short. So, realize that you cannot pronounce every double R or funny looking letter. It is ok. Just try your best.
6. HAVE FUN!!! Speaking a foreign language is fun and just amazing. So enjoy it.
This was filmed at the Heidelburg Castle in Germany.
STAYING IN CONTACT WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHILE YOU LIVE ABROAD
1. email – Send pictures, updates, feelings. The Eiffel Tower may get boring to you, but it won’t to your family and friends.
2. social networking – Keep up your Facebook & Twitter feeds to stay connected.
3. Call – Skype and other VOIP programs make calling to say hi cheap and easy. And hearing mom’s voice always makes you feel better.
4. send postcards – $1 for you = a sign of love to mom.
5. have visitors (but not first three months or else you will make homesickness even worse)
And remember you are studying abroad, not living back home, so dont get stuck missing home and then you miss our on living abroad! Go out and enjoy your time!
GAINING WEIGHT WHILE LIVING ABROAD, WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
Traveling and studying aborad are hard on you mentally as well as physically and weight gain and loss is a rather common occurance for people studying abroad. So watch out!
And Don’t Forget to LEARN THE LANGUAGE!!! It makes it much easier to make friends and adjust to your new country. Check out our free language learning pages to learn something before you go!
- Learn German – Good if you are spending the semester in Germany, Austria, Switzerland or Lichtenstein (yes it happens).
- Learn Spanish – Good if you are heading to Spain or anywhere in Latin America.
- Learn Portuguese – Boa for Brazil, Portugal, Angola and many other countries.
- Learn Italian – Because you will need it when you travel there on your long weekends.
- Learn French – Because you should know more than “menage a trois.”
- Learn Swedish – They speak great English there, but a few words will help you thaw the ice.
- Learn Lithuanian – When Lithuanians hear foreigners speaking Lithuanian they go crazy happy.
- Learn Czech – Slovak – For the weekend trip to Prauge or Bratislava.
- Learn Chinese – Just some basics so you won’t starve when you get there.
