Fear not! Seven fears about the Year Abroad and seven solutions
One constant of every Open Day at Warwick is the final-year students talking about their great experiences on the Year Abroad. I remember listening attentively to their incredible stories, in awe of the success of these students… but also sceptical. “If I went on a Year Abroad,” I would think to myself, “I wouldn’t have such a great time”. Little did I know what was in store.
In fact it didn’t take me long to step outside my comfort zone! But while the memory of my anxiety and anticipation is still fresh in my mind, let me take the time to banish some of those pre-Year Abroad fears…
1. "I’m not fluent in the language.”
Ok… and so what? I remember that when I first arrived at the school in France where I was going to work as an English teaching assistant, I apologised to all the teachers in advance for my accent and my slowness in speaking. But you know what? No one minded! Everyone washappy to speak with me, and they didn’t care if I didn’t pronounce my ‘r’s’ properly or if from time to time I said 30h instead of 13h (the 24-hour clock is the bane of my life). What they really appreciated was that I made the effort to communicate, and they were very open to help me learn new words. No one expects you to be completely fluent in the foreign language: if you were, what would be the point of going on a Year Abroad?!
2. “I can’t afford it.”
You don’t need to be a millionaire to go abroad. There are often grants you can apply to for contributions to your Year Abroad expenses — and, just like everything in life, it’s your choices that affect your cash. Where you decide to stay, how you decide to travel and what you choose to buy have all a huge impact on your finances.
3. "I don’t know anyone who’s going where I want to go.”
I know that it’s only natural to want to have friends in a new place, or rather, it’s human instinct to seek security in a group, but I’m so pleased that I forced myself to face this fear by going to a small town in France without knowing anyone beforehand. I was able to make friends with the other staff members in the school, members of the community through social events, and some weekends I visited my friends from Warwick in the same country!
4. “I don’t like the food there.”
I’m vegetarian and I went to the south of France. In the school, they didn’t even offer a vegetarian option, because, quite frankly, there is not a single person of the school community who would want such a thing… But did I starve? Not at all — in fact I actually ate really well, because I was able to find almost every ingredient that I wanted in the supermarkets in order to cook meals for myself, and there were quite a few restaurants and cafes with vegetarian and vegan options too.
5. “I don’t have a clue about adulting, and even less so in a foreign country.”
Me neither. I didn’t have the foggiest idea on how to set up an electricity contract, or how to check a rental agreement in a foreign language, and I wasn’t even 100% sure how to take the plane on my own. But I learnt how to do all of the above, plus a lot more! Have faith, you’ll get there!
6. “I don’t want to travel too far.”
You can also choose how far you want to be from your home and your family. For example, if you study Spanish, you don’t ‘absolutely have to’ go to Latin America just because everyone tells you how cool it would be! What I love about the BA in Modern Languages at Warwick is that we’re not required to go to specific number of countries: for example, even if you study three languages, but you only feel comfortable going to one place on your Year Abroad, that option does exist. Do what’s best for you, remember that what really matters is not where you go but what you do.
7. “It’s too much effort.”
To finish with, I’m not going to try and deny this fear. Not everything is sunshine and roses during the Year Abroad… but it doesn’t matter! It’s important to remember that nothing is totally easy in life: for example, I’d like to know who thinks that the alternative, going straight to final year at uni, is a piece of cake?
By going on a Year Abroad, you can have an amazing experience, get to know lots of new people, and really grow in independence. And if you don’t believe me, why not try it out for yourself?