This summer I studied abroad for two months in Meknes, Morocco but visited around 6 different cities during my time there. My experience there wasn’t the best but I am still grateful for the opportunity. I think studying abroad, if done right, can be an amazing experience which is why I wanted to share some tips.
To start off, research the program and country that you are going to very very well! One of my biggest regrets is that I just went with the program because I trusted my professor and my peers without really questioning much about what I’m putting myself into. However, there are so many things that you need to consider before just signing away to be somewhere you’ve never been for an extended period of time. You need to research the city you’ll be living in to know what are the common practices, cultures, and environments that you’ll be living around. What are some big holidays that you should expect to encounter? What’s the temperature like? What languages do they speak in that part of the country? What are forms of communication? What are their common forms of payment? What can you wear there? What are the travel guidelines? What season are they currently in? What do they eat there? How can you get adjusted to their ingredients/tastes? Are there any food chains that you’ll be familiar with? What’s going to be the most common mode of transportation? What are the price differences? What’s socially accepted and what isn’t? What are the gender roles and differences? Some host families didn’t have toilets or showers so that’s another thing to check for. Even checking information about basic needs like water, since the city I was in has a shortage of water! All of this will give you realistic expectations of where you’re going. Bring everything you need because we didn’t have Amazon there and other countries can often lack specific things that are easy to find in America.
Secondly, travel as much as you can to wherever you can! Study abroad programs can be so intense with more than 7 hours of work and class combined every single day! For example, my program was 5 hours of class total everyday and then we had other things to get done for the program like language partners, cultural activities, meetings, office hours, homework, and tests every single friday. This is a lot to go through on a weekly basis but we had the weekends all to ourselves and I tried my best to go somewhere new every week. It can also be so much cheaper to travel in foreign countries than it is in America so you want to be able to see as much as you can for the price that you can since you might not have another chance depending on if you can travel back there or not. Traveling was my favorite part of the study abroad program and doing it with your closest friends can create so many beautiful bonds and memories.
Lastly, put yourself out there and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way but also say no when you know you don’t want to do something. By putting yourself out there, I mean make an effort to create new friends, talk to your professors, and create a bond with your host family. Having these support systems and connections can make your time in the program feel better because they can help pick you up when you’re drained, guide you in different directions, and help you not to feel alone since you aren’t with your family and friends back home anymore which can really impact your experience. Also there are so many things in a new country that we don’t have in America that you can take advantage of. For me, Morocco was so cheap, and I really took advantage of this to do what I wanted and get what I wanted, especially things I can’t get anywhere else. On top of that, my program had many things included in it that can help enhance your experience, and you already paid for it so why not use up that opportunity! However, I want to emphasize how important it is to not do something if you don’t want to. Even if you need space from your host family, your roommate, or the program, make it clear in the most respectful way that you can. Host families in Morocco treat you as their daughter so it can be so hard to get space alone especially when you’re drained and just don’t want to talk to anyone, don’t feel like you have to participate that day but also understand that they think it’s normal not to have space so it is a new experience for them as well. Sometimes you will need that alone time because you’re running around all day with your program, friends, and responsibilities so it can definitely add up and become overwhelming. Just remember to put yourself and your health first because this is your experience and you should do it the way you want to.
I hope that helps if you are considering studying abroad and if so, then I hope you have an amazing experience!