Study Abroad and its Commandments

I have been writing this blog for around a month, and I realized that while I have been giving you guys some insights into the area I am in. Now that is all well and good, but what if some random person come across this blog and says, “Well, all of that looks pretty cool, but is he truly getting the most out of his experience?” To you, random person, I say, “Yes I am, because I am adhering to the Commandments of Study Abroad.”

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, you might think. Commandments? Where is this religious stuff coming from?

Well, don’t worry; this has nothing to do with religion. The Commandments are a set of “rules” I have come up with, and try to follow, in order to get the most out of any travel opportunity I may have. These rules are not binding in any way, and are merely suggestions. You do not have to follow any of them, or you can follow all of them. Some of the rules are very obvious, while others may take more time and effort to follow.

So without further ado, I present The Commandments of Study (or any sort of travel) Abroad:

I)                    Thou Shalt Prepare Adequately – Nothing is worse than getting somewhere and not having the right documents needed to get to where you want to go. Things like passports, visas, airline tickets, hotel reservations, etc. should be kept somewhere safe and close at hand. In addition, bring enough toiletries to last you for a long time (longer than you plan to be there), plus enough clothing to last for a few weeks at least. On that note…

II)                  Thou Shalt Dress Appropriately – You wouldn’t wear shorts and a tank top in Moscow in winter, and you wouldn’t wear sweatpants in Egypt in the summer (or ever, really, the sand is probably a major hassle to get rid of). Look up the climate of where you plan to go before you go. That is not to say that you should not prepare for other circumstances, but I would not count on them.

III)                Thou Shalt Know About the Resources Available – nine times out of ten, if you are studying abroad, there should be someone overseeing the program, usually either a native or someone who has been living in the country for a while. These people are here for your support; UTILIZE THEM. I cannot stress this enough. For people who are traveling on their own, it is a good idea to know where your country’s embassy is, as well as the number of your hotel if necessary.

IV)               Thou Shalt NOT Kill (or commit any other crime, really) – This one is hopefully self-explanatory (I really, really hope I do not have to explain this one). The police systems in other countries are not like ours, and you should not go into any nation thinking that as a foreigner, you have some magical immunity to crime. You don’t. Get used to it.

V)                 Thou Shalt Immerse Thyself in the Culture – It does not matter if you are going to be in a country for three days or for three months. You will not truly enjoy the experience if you do not try to feel like a native. If you are in England, try to talk to a local about soccer (but remember to call if football). When in Rome, do as the Romans do. In Amsterdam – well, you get the idea.

As a side note to this commandment, be sure to research where you are going to go before you get there. Some of your social norms may not be deemed to be acceptable in the country you are going to, so be prepared (See Commandment I).

VI)               Thou Shalt be Cautious – I put this right after Commandment V for a reason. No matter how much you try to fit in, you are still a foreigner. This puts a huge target on you for all sorts of things. People will try to scam you often, and it is not a bad idea to keep one hand in your pocket to cover your wallet and other valuables (a money belt is not a bad investment to combat this). A good idea is to look at each thing you are taking and saying to yourself, “Do I really need this today?” If not, stow it away, because someone else could take it.

VII)             Thou Shalt Make Friends – In regards to Commandment VI, do not look at every native like they are on the Most Wanted lists. Many people you meet are very happy and excited to meet foreigners. In addition, if you are studying abroad, you are likely studying with other people. Be nice to them; you are going to be living with them, so you should get along with them.

VIII)           Thou Shalt not Neglect thy Studies – I know I just lost about half my readers with this commandment, but hear me out. If you are studying abroad, nothing puts a bad taste in your mouth more than knowing that the semester you spent partying and enjoying the people of the country you are in actually put you further behind in your quest for a diploma. If you spend even a tiny amount of time studying and doing the work you are supposed to do, you will be able to put that worry aside, and still have plenty of time to enjoy the country you are in.

IX)                Thou Shalt Budget Thy Money – Too many times have I heard the line, “Oh, I really want to do that, but I don’t have the money for that right now.” Lack of money is one of the biggest issues to any person who wants to enjoy themselves abroad. Many people blow through a large part of their money right away, meaning that they are going to be in trouble in the later months. Set aside some money each month for things you need, and you should be fine.

X)                  Thou Shalt Go Out of Your Comfort Zone – You are already taking a big step by choosing to go out of the country. Good for you. It doesn’t stop there though, not by a long shot. If you are going to have a great time, you need to do things that you would never do if you had the chance. Try new foods, talk to people in their native language, skydive, whatever you want to do. The sky is never the limit; there is no limit to what you can do.

XI)                Thou Shalt Have an Open Mind – News flash, people: not every place is like your home country. Let me repeat: NOT EVERY PLACE IS LIKE YOUR HOME COUNTRY! Got it? Good. So don’t compare countries you are in to your home country. Every place you go has its own way of sticking in your mind. It is up to you to figure out how it will stick.

XII)              Thou Shalt Have Fun – I cannot stress this one enough. I may have put it on the list last, but it is certainly not least. You are in a new place, you have no idea what is going on. Do not shrink into a shell and hide away. Experience everything the world has to offer. You have taken the first step, but it isn’t a slide; you get from the experience what you put into it.

So there you have it, my lessons for people prepping to study abroad. If you agree/disagree with anything I have said, please let me know.