Studying abroad is a unique experience that will teach you plethora of things. You will learn to be independent, to make new friends, to work on deadlines among many other things, but not before you face some challenges that would eventually become a part of your learning curve.
Here are the top 5 problems Indian students may face while studying abroad and how to cope with them-
1. Homesickness- One of the biggest issues that most Indian students face while studying abroad is feeling homesick. Believe it or not, no matter how much you hated being at home in your own country, you will miss it when you are abroad. You will miss your mom’s cooking, your dad’s silent stares, your embarrassing friends and the familiarity of things while you are studying in a foreign country. But do not be overwhelmed by it. Understand that you are not alone. When you feel too homesick and miss home too much, Skype your family or friends or try to indulge in music or course work that would help you cope up. Soon enough, you will get used to your new environment and start enjoying your life as a student in a foreign country.
2. Finding your way around- More often than you might want, you will find yourself get lost (literally), especially in the first few weeks when you’re still getting to know the place around you. No matter how many street addresses you memorize, or how many landmarks you remember, unless you have an eidetic memory, you are bound to get confused till you get used to the place. In case you do get lost, make sure you have maps handy with you. Travel guides are another good option that will help you find your way around. In any case, do not carry too much of cash with you while you are moving around the city. And do not keep it all in the same place.
3. Managing finances- While you are studying abroad, there are chances that you might face monetary problems because you bought an extra cup of coffee or spent too much on things that you could have easily gotten cheaper. To avoid such situations, make sure you have a monthly budget and that you do not cross it. Talk to your peers and the locals to find out the places where you can get things at comparatively lower costs. In any case, make sure you stop yourself from buying things that you want and that you just stick to buying things that you need.
4. Language and cultural barrier- Once out of your own country, you might face a few problems with trying to cope up with the sudden cultural and language shift. You will feel like an alien who has just landed from a spaceship because the initial few days will feel like a mismatch in terms of language, food, attitude and life-styles among many more things. What you need to do is put some efforts in trying to familiarize yourself with the local customs and language. Do not be afraid to ask for tips and advice because this is the best way to interact with the local people. Be more accepting towards their culture because after all, you are in their country.
5. Coping up with academics- Believe it or not, despite all your plans of going to a foreign country for your ‘STUDIES’, you might be tempted on more than one occasion to travel around, or explore the place. You need to keep your inner wanderlust on hold until the weekend so that you can go around and carpe diem. Remember, you are there to study and in case your grades drop, you might lose your scholarship or even be kicked out of the program. All the places that you want to see and the museums that you want to visit, will still be there on the weekends. So focus on your studies when required so that you enjoy the time off you get from your curriculum.
To get more information about your studying abroad options, contact us on 1800-274-2041. You can visit our office to know the courses that will fit your plans of Studying Abroad. You can also visit us on www.VDIEC.com for more details on free counseling and Overseas Education.
Add New Comment