Last summer, I had the chance to do something that was not only fun, but also educational: studying abroad. I had the opportunity to go abroad for a whole month in the city of London. This was my first time ever leaving the country, which was an amazing experience. However, there was definitely a bit of a culture shock during my stay. But, I got to learn and see so much of a new country on the other side of the world, while learning about history. To be able to study abroad, it’s always best to be prepared before going to another country, so today I’ll be giving my tips and tricks on studying abroad for the first time.
Before I went abroad, I had to prepare myself, making sure that I’d have the right clothes and supplies for the time I spent in London. During the summer, Europe has its most intense heat wave of the year. In the months of June, July, and August, it gets extremely hot and humid throughout the day. Many places and cities in European countries don’t have any A/C, so making sure to bring lots of clothing that’s comfortable and breathable for the heat is a very important factor. You should also make sure to have enough space in your luggage to bring back souvenirs, because there’ll definitely be a lot of souvenirs that you’ll end up bringing back. Another essential that’s really important to bring is a portable fan, as this will probably be your best friend in any place you enter. And don’t forget to buy an adapter plug for your chargers. The outlet plugs in the United States usually only exist here, and are often different in foreign countries.
There’s so much to do while studying abroad and so many places that you can visit for free. In London, there are so many different museums that have free entrance and, if you’re under 25 years of age, you can see many different exclusive exhibitions that are happening. There are many different historical places that are very cheap to see, ones that cost less in comparison to the US. However, always remember that the Euro/Pound cost more than the US dollar, which can sometimes mean you’re spending more, so my biggest tip is to make sure that whenever you pay for something, you make sure to pay in Euro/Pound currency rather than in US currency whenever asked at checkout because then you’ll get a cheaper price.Â
Europe has so many different countries to explore and it’s way cheaper to visit different countries while already in Europe. So, make sure you check out the trains as they’re more inexpensive, and make sure to have fun, be respectful, and enjoy your time abroad!