'It's the best year of your life'
This is a phrase that’s frequently thrown around by those returning from years abroad, and is something that our generation of language students have especially latched onto after the pandemic, during which travelling became almost as romanticised as nightclubs. However, unlike the return to nightclubs, where you're forced to remember that they offer less space and more creepy men than dancing around alone in your room, the year abroad is really does live up to a lot of its very high expectations. Nevertheless, I've also come to realise over my first few months here that even the best times in your life can come with some incredible lows. But rather than them ruining the year abroad experience, I’ve found that learning to overcome these challenges have actually helped to endorse it. So, without further ado, here are some of the most common highs, as well as some of the lows, and why both are important to the amazing experience of studying abroad.
High number 1
Achieving the Main Aim
You don’t study a foreign language up to university level unless you want to get really good at it, practically to the point of fluency. However, no matter how hard you work in your first two years, you know it's still nowhere near the level at which native speakers would communicate. This is where the year abroad comes in. Living in a country where this language is spoken everywhere all the time, you finally get to achieve what you set out to do all those years ago, as by immersing yourself in the everyday use of this language, conversing regularly with locals and hearing it at all hours of the day, you will improve exponentially.
Low Number 1
This Can Be Terrifying
As exciting as it is to finally get this opportunity, it can also be pretty scary talking to fluent speakers at first. There will be many times when you don't understand what people are saying, or when something you try to say in their language comes out wrong and gets misinterpreted. There were plenty of awkward moments in my first few months in Lyon and I'm sure there'll be many more before I leave. But instead of beating yourself up about it, give yourself credit for trying. Every encounter offers the opportunity for learning something new about the country, so making mistakes is a sign that you're doing what you came here to do. I'd also like to add that in my experience native speakers have been the opposite of judgemental, and have instead been very understanding and ready to help.
High Number 2
A Whole New Culture
One of the main attractions of the year abroad is the opportunity to engage with the culture of another country. Unlike visiting for a holiday, you get to see what this place is like all year round and become a part of its way of life, from meals out with friends to the weekly supermarket shop.
This doesn't mean you can't still be a tourist sometimes though, as you may also find you have easier access to other cities and towns in the country. Whilst living in Lyon I've had the chance to visit the beautiful French cities of Marseille, Grenoble, Annecy and Avignon. There might even be the chance to visit neighbouring countries. For me, Geneva is only a couple of hours away and parts of Italy are also fairly close by, offering travel opportunities that are much more difficult to carry out from the UK.
Low Number 2
The Stress of Getting There
We live in age where Covid-19 and Brexit dominate the headlines. Needless to say, both of these have an impact on studying abroad. Applying for a visa was one of the most stressful things I've ever done and that was on top of the ever-changing but endless covid rules. Then there's also the regular year abroad stresses, such as form after form about your studies, accommodation, flights or insurance to name but a few. However, you can ease this pressure by keeping a clear head and being as organised as possible; keep a list of everything you need to do and make the most of that awesome achievement feeling when you tick stuff off it. More importantly, keep up to date with letters and emails regarding your year abroad (don't forget to check your spam)! Above all though, just remember that however stressful it is at this point, it will be 100% worth it when you get there.
High Number 3
What's Wrong with Being Confident?
Another advantage of speaking a foreign language in your everyday life is that it can fill you with a new-found sense of confidence. Of course, there will be awkward moments as I mentioned before, but learning from them can only help you to come back stronger. In my first few months in Lyon, whenever I got through any interactions with little to no issues my brain would instantly go 'OMG I JUST DID THAT!', and it really was the most amazing feeling. Furthermore, if you're a fairly shy person like I have been throughout most of my life, communicating well in your second language should hopefully help you gain more confidence to communicate in your first. In fact, just living abroad on my own was enough to help me realise that if I could do this, I could do a lot more than I ever realised I could before.
Low Number 3
Home is Where the Heart is
The day I first left for France was very hard (I remember literally holding back tears in the airport). I think that a lot of that had to do with leaving a familiar setting for the complete unknown, so if you find yourself feeling a similar way, just remember that it's natural to miss family and friends, or anyone and anything else from back home.
This feeling doesn’t have to go away completely either. Homesickness can be overwhelming at first, but it can also remind us of how lucky we are to have someone or something that important to us in our lives in the first place. It’s for this reason that I believe you can have a fantastic year abroad whilst also looking forward to returning to the people you love when you get back home.
High Number 4
Personal Growth
I’d like to end this on a high by emphasising that it is ok if, for whatever reason, you sometimes find yourself wondering why all this was a good idea. Life isn't one straight line going upward, so chances are your year abroad won't be, either.
If you think you may be in need of further support, don’t hesitate to reach out to the help put in place by your university or any other support systems you have. After all, they’re there to help you. Charities like Student minds also offer online resources and support groups for a wide range of various mental health matters that you should still be able to access from your abroad, and there may also be institutions in your host country that you can reach out to for help. Even if you find that the year abroad isn’t for you, that’s also fine, every individual is different and you have to do what’s best for you at the time.
One last recommendation I’d make to anyone going to study abroad is to keep in mind that every year can be both the best and worst year of your life for different reasons, so it doesn't mean you're not making the most of your time abroad if you find it hard at times. Often, it’s just a sign that you're experiencing the squiggly line of good times and bad times that make up life, and which all ultimately help you to grow as a human being.
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