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Before I went abroad I feel like all I heard about actually going abroad was all all the glamour and glory. But the thing people don’t talk about are the hardships that come along with studying abroad. Don’t get me wrong, the good totally outweighs the bad (at least for me), but there will definitely be times where you feel confused or scared or even sad. I think in the end it forces you to grow as a person and I still think it was all worth it.
I wanted to create this post mostly to bring up some of those topics. I want to talk about the things people don’t talk about. Here’s a list of some of what they don’t tell you before studying abroad.
Adjusting to a new way of life, eating different food, and being surrounded by people who don’t speak your native language isn’t easy. Moving to a new country is going to be hard. The first couple weeks or even months you might feel out of place, scared, and will definitely miss home. You’ll see your best friends from home doing fun things on Snapchat and your family going out to dinner without you. I think the hardest part is not having someone you’re one-hundred percent comfortable with right away and that’s what makes you miss home.
I think home is more of a feeling and there’s definitely ways you can make that feeling come to life while you’re abroad. Whether it’s getting close to your professors, finding your abroad best friends, or eating at a local restaurant that feels homey, it’s all a part of the abroad experience and finding that home away from home. It might take weeks, even months. Missing home is definitely a part of what they don’t tell you about studying abroad.
The pictures might look all glam and glory (I mean how often do you see pics of people crying or sad anyway?), but traveling can get exhausting. There will be weekends where you’ll want to stay in and watch Netflix and trips you go on where you’ll be physically drained and emotionally exhausted. Even though traveling is so so so exciting and fun, there will come a time where you’ll want to hang at home and rest. DO IT. You’ll feel so much better later if you actually listen to your body and take a couple days to rest.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved all the trips I did when I went abroad. I learned so much, laughed so much, and saw so much and all the exhaustion was totally worth it. (I mean you can rest when you’re dead right?)
Studying abroad can get expensive. It’s all a part of the study abroad experience: traveling to new countries, eating new food, going on tours, and they all cost a price. I think the best way to do it is by giving yourself a daily budget. If you save more in the beginning, you can afford to be boujee near the end of your semester
Everyone always talks about how much they loved their study abroad experience. They talk about all the countries they visited and all the new things to learn. What they don’t talk about is the hardships that come along with it. There might come a time where you feel confused and will want to go home. It’s all a part of the growth process and I hope you learn to love your experience abroad.
You don’t think you’ll miss home food as much as you will and you’ll miss it A LOT. It’s actually crazy because you’re trying so much new foods but then you end up craving like wings or tacos. You’ll go out of your way to find a place that serves american style breakfast and when you do, you’ll rave about it. (Seen above, an amazing place in London with American style breakfast). But once you get home, you’ll miss the food you had abroad. It’s weird how your body works.
So this is just a short list of what they don’t tell you before studying abroad. Studying abroad in Rome was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I’m honestly so thankful I had the opportunity to study abroad. I hope this list doesn’t deter anyone from actually going abroad because in the end it is all worth it.
So this is just a short list of what they don’t tell you before studying abroad. Studying abroad in Rome was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I’m honestly so thankful I had the opportunity to study abroad. I hope this list doesn’t deter anyone from actually going abroad because in the end it is all worth it.
Check out all my study abroad posts here!
Check out some of my favorite tools and companies I actually use when I travel.
Need a Bank Account for Life Abroad? Wise is the best option for travelers, study abroad students and expats. I use it as my everyday checking account since it lets me hold and spend in multiple currencies without getting hit with a bad exchange rate every time I cross a border.
Want to Travel for Free & Skip the Foreign Transaction Fees? I put my spending on my Chase Sapphire Preferred card and let the points cover flights and hotels I'd otherwise be paying for out of pocket. I've been able to use the points I earn on this card to pay for flights, hotels and meals all around the world!
Please Don't Forget Travel Insurance! Travel insurance protects you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never go on a trip without it. My two favorites are:
Need a Flight? I personally love using Google Flights to track prices and compare dates before I commit, the flexible date view alone has saved me a lot of money. Skyscanner is another great search engine to find cheap flights because it searches sites and airlines around the globe, so you know no cheap deal is being left on the table.
Getting Around Southeast Asia? Book your buses, trains, and ferries with 12Go Asia. One search shows you every route and price, so you're not digging through ten different local booking sites.
Need a Place to Stay? Book your hotel with Expedia, where I start looking, especially when I want to bundle flights and stays together. Hotels.com is my backup when I want to compare prices or I'm chasing their rewards program for a free night.
On a Tighter Budget? Hostelworld is where I go for hostels. It has the largest inventory out there, and you can search for dorm beds or private rooms depending on what you're after!
Want a Free Way to Travel? Try TrustedHousesitters! You look after someone's home and pets while they're away, and in exchange you get free accommodation (minus the subscription fee). It's a great option if you're traveling long term and want to cut costs. I personally use this as a host and a sitter, and it's truly great!
Need Inspiration or Just Want to See What's Out There? Go Guides is a solid resource for destination guides, must-see landmarks, local markets, best beaches, and things to do, browsable by place or by theme. It's a good stop whether you already know where you're headed or you're still looking for your next destination.
Check out my full packing gear guide for everything I bring on international trips, or browse my favorite travel finds on Amazon for quick links to it all.
Check out my full resource page for every company I use when I travel. I list them all in one place so you can go from planning to booked without digging through old blog posts!
Hey there, I'm Angelique!
I'm a Filipina-American, Chicago native living abroad and running my online design agency from Chiang Mai, Thailand. Over a decade of traveling in, and yes, I still pinch myself. With family split between the US, UK, and SE Asia, travel has always been part of my story. This blog is where I share the honest side of living and traveling abroad, the places I explore, my best study abroad tips from personal experience, and the little hacks that make this life actually work. Glad you're here, friend!
Studying abroad soon?
everything to sort before you go, in one printable page.
Grab the printable study abroad checklist covering the paperwork, money, and packing stuff that's easy to forget until you're already there wishing you'd sorted it!