Studying Abroad Sucks

There is a fairly glorified perspective about what it is like to study abroad. Between the pictures and stories from past students and the mental image of the places you are going, there are some extremely high expectations for what this experience will be. What you usually do not see in all of the studying abroad social media posts are the things that absolutely suck.

Here are the top 3 worst things about studying abroad:

1. It Is Expensive

2. Language Barriers

3. Trying To Live Up To Expectations

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1. It Is Expensive

This is probably the most widely known negative of studying abroad, and easily the most discouraging reason to not actually go. Going into the trip, there was a clear cost breakdown based on previous years in order to give you an idea of what to expect financially. So it really isn't a shock, but still, the cost of these three months is still painful and intimidating in our early financial timelines.

It is important to realize whether we are buying plane tickets or coffee, we are also buying experiences whether we are actively doing so or not. Here is what I mean: when I rode the train from Cologne to Munich there were two German business men on the train that talked about all the small German towns we were riding through and their significance throughout history. At no point did I pay for a 4.5 hr history tour of Germany, but I certainly got one. Additionally, whenever I buy a one euro coffee from our host university's cafe it is nearly always accompanied by a few additions to my French food vocabulary.

When you look at the intimidating estimated cost sheet for studying abroad, what you don't see are the countless other things that you will also get to experience. You simply cannot experience these things unless you invest in the plane ticket and the coffee.

Hiking outside Zurich, Switzerland costs $0.00

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2. Language Barriers

Navigating a new place is a challenge in its self but the addition of a language barrier creates a new level of frustration. I regret to say that I am 0% fluent in any other language than English. I cannot read signs and forget trying to pronounce them when asking for directions. Most people that I have communicated with do know plenty of English but there have also been a significant amount of moments where speaking is simply not an option to communicate. I'd consider this the greatest day to day challenge, especially considering we have been immersed in a variety of different languages, including: French, Dutch, German, Czech, Spanish, and Italian.

Nonetheless, communication is possible through means of gestures and graphics. Using maps, pointing, and thinking of nearly universal gestures to communicate has become somewhat of a game to me. The moment that it became fun versus just being a barrier is when I realized how much effort the other person is required to put forth in order to help. Here is how the conversation usually goes:

Me: "Hello, do you speak English?" (or some variation)

The other person:

"Yes"--and then we carry on an English conversation

or

"No"--and then they decide whether or not to continue to try and help me; despite knowing we cannot verbally communicate with each other.

Helpful strangers are extremely valuable in any scenario but helpful strangers that are ready to put forth their best charades performance possible in order to help the person they cannot understand have become my absolute favorite kind of stranger.

Taken in Prague by a fellow tourist who only spoke Dutch but proceeded to directs us through a small photo shoot with multiple poses after we asked her to take our picture.

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3. Trying to Live up to Expectations

Despite the image that most of my social media posts, experience reports, and even the previous parts of this blog post depict. Every day has not actually the best day of my life. Some of the sites are disappointing compared to what I expected, the weather isn't always nice, I get stressed out nearly everyday about finances, I still have 15 credits worth of homework, travelling to different places doesn't always go smoothly, and not all of the strangers are helpful or even just kind. I'd love to sleep in most mornings but that feels like a waste of time when I am supposed to be having such a memorable experience. Above all else, I miss home. I miss the familiarity and the people that I love.

It is more difficult to put a positive twist on this one, but here it is: As much as I miss my home, how wonderful is it that I have the opportunity to experience and explore places that other people call home? They are places that other people grew up, and where their family and friend live. Let alone the sites that I am learning about and seeing featuring works of Architecture and Landscape Architecture that I now understand more thoroughly whether I enjoy them or not...these places have someone else's favorite park or the cafe they always get lunch. These places are not my home, that's why it is so difficult but also so valuable.

Cold, rainy, low quality photo from Paris. Not pictured: soggy sketchbook and passport

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I apologize if you expected this post to be more of a negative rant. I can't actually think of any reasons to complain that haven't resulted in a positive of some kind. Studying abroad is actually as amazing as it sounds but not for all the reasons I expected. I can guarantee that this semester has helped me grow as a designer, but working through the things that "suck" about studying abroad are why, I suspect, people who have gone on trips like this one have a hard time not talking about it every chance they get.