"Living abroad" Forum

Learnings From Abroad: Share Your Tips!

Learnings From Abroad: Share Your Tips!

by Bernat OLS Community Manager -
Number of replies: 22

Moving to another country, be it temporary or permanently, is not an easy task, as it requires lots of research, financial planning and, above all, courage. Most of you are probably getting ready for your upcoming Spanish adventure, while feeling both excited and hesitant.

This discussion topic is aimed at collecting tips and tricks, advice and guidance, on how to go through this initial stage and ensure a smooth landing in Spain. Whether you are an experienced traveller or a first-time international student, we invite you to share your inputs or ask any questions you may have.

SOOOOO…I have a few questions to set the ball rolling: 

What advice would you give to someone who has never been abroad? Any tips on how to socialise? How do you beat loneliness when it knocks on your door? 

These are just some examples, but feel free to share/ask anything that comes to your mind. Who wants to start? :-) 

❗Don’t be shy, as your experience might benefit other community users. 

❗Don’t be afraid of posing questions, since your peers may have similar doubts.

Share with us! 

Bernat, OLS Community Manager – Spanish 

Sevilla, Imagen de David Mark en Pixabay

Source: Pixabay

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In reply to Bernat OLS Community Manager

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Bernat OLS Community Manager -
I will begin with a quick comment: if you are worried about making friends, DON’T, because you will. During your mobility, you will find others that, like you, have travelled alone to a foreign country with the same fears and hopes. All of them will be ready for a night out or a stroll around your host city. Make the most of your stay, and say YES to any opportunity you encounter to get to know other international students and, of course, locals :-)
In reply to Bernat OLS Community Manager

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Jonas Nielsen -
Hej! My advice is to travel as much as possible at the very beginning when you have more spare time. Then, you'll have to study and hand in your projects. I did volunteer work in Romania and to be honest I regret not traveling more. I mean, I know fairly well the country, but I wish I had explored more.
In reply to Jonas Nielsen

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Bernat OLS Community Manager -
Hello Jonas. Thank you so much for your advice. I fully agree with you. I have lived in quite a few countries and, every time that I leave, I say to myself: "damn, I should have done more things." Soooo, yes, guys, go out there and explore as much as possible. By the way, where did you volunteer in Romania? I lived in Iasi for a while :-)
In reply to Bernat OLS Community Manager

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Jonas Nielsen -
Hola Bernat, I volunteered in a school near Focșani helping kids from disadvantaged families. It was a great experience. I passed through Iasi on my way to Moldova, but I never got the chance to visit the town.
In reply to Jonas Nielsen

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Bernat OLS Community Manager -
Good morning, Jonas! What a wonderful thing you did :-) I never went to Focșani, unfortunately. Did I miss something? Glad to see you back in the forums!
In reply to Jonas Nielsen

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Selina Bock -
Hey Jonas,
i totally agree with you as well. I was living in Thailand for half a year backa t school to study there. School was great and I learned a lot there, but the travels were defintely the most memorable thing. Sadly my host family was not able to travel much because we had to take care of my host-grandmother, but that way I go to experience life in a Thai-family and that was great as well. But for Spain I'm already planning trips to different cities and I'm very exited about that.
In reply to Selina Bock

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Bernat OLS Community Manager -
¡Hola Selina! It seems like you had a great time in Thailand :-) Is there something else you learned there that can be useful to someone who has never lived abroad? Also, I'm curious about your trips! Where are you planning on going?
In reply to Bernat OLS Community Manager

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Selina Bock -
Hola Bernat, I think one thing I took with me as well was to try as many cultural activities as possible. I for example had cooking classes, classes in traditional dancing and music. Of course now, 4 years later, I can neither cook thai food, nor dance a thai dance, but it was such a great and fun experience and definitely a great way to learn more about all the cultural aspects. It is something I can only recomend if one has the oppotunity to participate in such things.

Regarding the trips in Spain, I will definitely make trips to Madrid, Valencia and Murcia, as they are very easy to reach by train from Alicante, I hope to be also able to travel to Granada in my winter holidays and to Barcelona after I finish my internship. I've already been to Barcelona once and it was the most beautiful city I've seen so far!
In reply to Selina Bock

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Bernat OLS Community Manager -
I loved your comment, Selina. What you said regarding cultural activities is, indeed, an excellent way to understand the soul of any country. Next time I move abroad, I'll follow your advice and take cooking classes. It's such a great idea!

Personally, I've always tried to learn at least the basics of the local language where I happen to be. Last year, I had the chance to live in Mexico for a while and I signed up for a course to study Tzotzil, which is a Mayan language spoken in the south of the country. I learned so much!

I'm soooo happy that you liked Barcelona :-) Try to explore Spain as much as you can because it is such a beautiful country! Some places you must visit in the Comunitat Valenciana are Morella, Peñíscola, Xàtiva, València, Bocairent, Altea and the island of Tabarca.
In reply to Bernat OLS Community Manager

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Selina Bock -
Thanks for your advice Bernat, I will definitely try to visit all of them. :)
In reply to Selina Bock

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Jonas Nielsen -
Hey Selina, i was supposed to travel to Thailand in 2020 but Corona ruined everything. Where did you live in Thailand? i'm excited about traveling around Spain as well! 
In reply to Jonas Nielsen

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Selina Bock -
¡Hola Jonas! I stayed in Saraburi, a city north to Bankok :) We onnce traveld south to a beach near Bankok I think and once to Krabi in our school holidays. I really liked Krabi, so if you visit Thailand in the future it is definitely worth a trip. We also visited Lopburi twice, it is a city full of monkeys and it was very funny. Lopburi also had some interesting old monuments.
Do you already know where you want to travel to in Spain?
In reply to Selina Bock

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Jonas Nielsen -
Awesome! Many Danes travel to Thailand during the winter months. I hope to be one of them soon! I don't know yet, but of course I'll go to the main cities (Madrid, Sevilla, Malaga, Valencia and so on). I'll be in Barcelona, which I think is well-connected. I'll try my best so see everything haha.
In reply to Jonas Nielsen

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Selina Bock -
Oh Barcelona is so beautiful, you will definitely enjoy the city. Have a great time there!
In reply to Bernat OLS Community Manager

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Bernat OLS Community Manager -
Hello team! :-) I have a question for those who have ALREADY lived abroad. What would you tell to someone who's feeling anxious/nervous before his/her mobility programme? Any tips?
In reply to Bernat OLS Community Manager

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Selina Bock -
Hello everyone,
first things first: it's totally normal to be anxious. Altough I already lived abroud befor going to Spain, I was anxious again. I though: why am I doing this? Why can I not be content staying at home? Why do I have to go on another adventure? Haha.
It's also pretty normal to feel homesick, and I'm not sure if there are general tips for that, because everybody is so different.
When I first stayed abroad, it was important to me to get some distance to my family and to not write them everyday. I focused on enjoying my time with my hostfamily and had a blog to keep everyone back home up to day without getting in touch with them and feeling homesick again.
This time in Spain I feel a little different. I have no friends yet because my internship only starts at the 5th of september and until then I am traveling alone and getting to know everything. Now I feel like it really helps me to have contact to my family and to write and call them so I know that I'm not alone and that they are there no matter in what country we are.
But one tip I have is to keep your self busy. If you're out and about, exploring things and have other stuff to focus one you are less likely to think about how much you miss everyone back home.
And keep in mind: it is normal to be anxious and homesick, but everything will turn out fine i the end. ;)
In reply to Selina Bock

Re: Learnings from abroad: share your tips!

by Bernat OLS Community Manager -

This is a wonderful piece of advice!

I can definitely relate to the "why do I have to go on another adventure?" part. I've had the chance to live and work in many countries, but every single time that I'm getting ready, I ask myself the very same question: "why am I doing this"? It is not easy to picture yourself having the time of your life when you are feeling anxious right before your departure. But one thing that I've learned during these years is that, despite the initial fears, once you arrive in your host country everything changes. You feel alive and full of energy! Also, making friends is surprisingly easy, as the great majority of international students are in the same position as you: alone, in a foreign country and ready to socialise.

Anyone feeling anxious? Share your worries, we are all in the same boat :-)