Lots of people talk about traveling the world and studying abroad in college. But talking about it is easier than actually stepping onto the plane. It can be scary traveling somewhere new when you don’t know the language or the unspoken rules of a different culture. Fear, however, shouldn’t stop you from experiencing a different part of the world. To help ease those fears, I want to prepare you for life in a different country by sharing some of my own experiences abroad.
Depending on your level of travel experience, it might be best to start your study abroad journey with a group program rather than traveling solo. Last spring, I chose to travel with a group on the Château Program, which was led by a faculty advisor. Because of this, I not only made new friends with other students from USM but also had Madame Rowland—our program director, French teacher, and resident “mom” on the trip—who I could turn to if I had any issues. Being with a group made me feel more comfortable, which was especially helpful as I was anxious about staying in an unfamiliar country. Now that I’ve had some experience traveling in a group setting, I feel more confident about traveling alone in the future.
If you plan on studying abroad, start walking now. One of the biggest differences between America and much of the rest of the world is distance. In Europe, everything is within walking distance. Most people don’t drive, as gasoline is expensive, so walking is the norm. And if they don’t walk, they take a bus, tram, subway, or train. Most days, I walked around 20,000 steps. Back home, I might walk half that on a busy day. Also, many European buildings are older and don’t have elevators, so you’ll likely be climbing stairs constantly. The Château we stayed in didn’t have an elevator, which meant walking up three flights of stairs every day to get to my room. It’s best to start exercising now to prepare for the daily activity that comes with walking everywhere in Europe—especially if you plan to visit Switzerland.
This may seem obvious, but it’s important to plan your trips ahead of time. While travel across Europe can be cheaper, procrastination can make it costly. For example, my friends and I planned a weekend trip to London. We chose a hotel near our airport, without checking how far it was from the city center. We didn’t realize the airport was nearly an hour away by train, costing us 60 pounds each day just to get into the city. Because of this, I recommend planning trips in advance, double- or even triple-checking distances between your airport, hotel, and destinations. This is especially important when you’re traveling on a budget.
There are many ways to travel without breaking the bank. Two of the most common in Europe are FlixBuses and train passes. If you choose FlixBus, I highly recommend bringing soap and toilet paper, as the onboard bathrooms are not regularly maintained. Also, keep a close eye on your belongings, as theft is common. One of my friends had his phone stolen on an overnight train ride back to Strasbourg while he was asleep. That trip ended with three more phone thefts, a long conversation with German police, and a missed train connection.
Studying abroad can be stressful but also rewarding. I can’t say that living in another country for two and a half months made me “cultured” or gave me a new perspective on life, but I did make new friends and amazing memories. There are many things I wish I had known before leaving, and some things I might have done differently. But as my faculty advisor and French teacher, Madame Rowland, says: “je ne regrette rien”—I don’t regret anything. I took a chance to travel abroad, and I don’t regret it. Preparing yourself before you go will help ensure you don’t regret anything either.