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oh golly

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
okay i know i posted an 'anxious about uni' thing but i think a really good opportunity might haven arisen...i have the option to study my 2nd year abroad! there are lots of places in the U.S (which is where i am thinking) but also the options of italy (venice) and france (paris!)...has anyone ever studied in the U.S or anywhere else for a year?

the things holding me back from the U.S are:
- the plane
- very far away
- boyfriend
- friends
- family

the things holding me back from the places in the EU are:
-language barrier
-pretty far away..same dealio

but then I guess it would be in my favour to learn a second language..but the U.S is really appealing!!

this is just a whole new thought of the day for me so i havent mentioned it to my boyfriend because i think it would be unfair..he seems to have gotten pretty close to me and me to him.
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Studying anywhere abroad can give you millions of opportunities in the future! Learning another language will almost ALWAYS get you a higher paid job as well, as a lot more businesses are doing business abroad.

    I'd probably do some research into it before mentioning it to your boyfriend. But don't let him hold you back. I know you're dead close to him now but imagine looking back on it in the future and feeling like you let this pass you by!

    You can always come home for visits every few weeks or something (lots of budget airlines out there)

    GOOD LUCK!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Overall it's a very short time in your life so don't put boyfriend/family/friends as an excuse not to go. For a few months a plane trip is neither something to use as an obstacle.

    Studying abroad is a great opportunity for young people to experience different cultures and make new friends. You'll also possibly experience totally different standards in schooling which is great to compare things. Overall, the more different the more you'll take home from it.

    I know a lot of people that have gone abroad and most loved it. They've been to China, Japan, Europe, etc. I've also been a support person for exchange students here in Iceland and it was very interesting to get to know them and especially to hear their views on the difference in schooling/cultures. It really helps widen horizons.

    I personally would rather go to Europe than the US but different people different strokes. :) But then again, English isn't my first language so there'll always be a degree of language barrier. ;) However you lose NOTHING by learning a different language. It's also likely that you'll spend more time with the other international students than locals so it might not affect you much anyway. Sad but true. ;)

    Research your options and see how you ajust to your course. Find out stuff like what you need to do in order to be able to go and how it might affect your course (if at all). If all that sounds good you could start telling people that you're considering to go abroad and see where it takes you. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ahh thankyou for the replies :)

    I definitely see the positives to learning a new language..the only things that were worrying me is that I was awful and French and German at school. I'm a very slow learner when it comes to languages and also if this first university month is anything to go by..I find it hard to make a lot of new friends in an English speaking university so am a bit worried about the language barrier preventing me from settling in quickly and think I might feel quite isolated.

    Also the boyfriend thing, we haven't been together long but I can't completely discount it. I know it's probably wiser to do so but I know that right now it would be unfair to mention it to him because I'm only thinking about it. But I think it's too good of an opportunity to pass up..wherever I go. I guess if I go to France it isn't too far away.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That is an amazing oportunity and I definately think you should go for it! :)

    Of course you'll miss your boyfriend, family and friends, that's expected, but it is only for a year (I know a year seems long but it's really not if you think about it) and your friends and famy will still be there when you get back, as will your boyfriend if it's really meant to be. Also, it's not guaranteed that you'll still be with your boyfriend when the times comes, so seriously try not to use him as an obstacle.

    There are some opportunitie's in lfe that are WAY too good to miss, this is one of them. Boyfriend's come and go but an experience like this will stay with you forever.

    The language barrier shouldn't be a problem. Lots of people, espescially in Europe speak English anyway and it'll be a great to chance to learn a foreign language.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think you should go! It's one of them things you might never be able to do again!
    I could have worked at a hospital abroad for my elective placement at uni, I wish I had now, I was just to lazy to organise it :(
    Think of all the new people you will meet and things you will see and do...it sounds great to me!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i definitely am interested in it :) apparently my uni would sponsor you for a uni...one they think you would be most suited for..i think its just upto me whether its in the EU or the US...:chin:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I hear NE Illinois is good ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Rach, you know I just spent a year in France have had nothing but praise for it. Don't let the language barrier put you off, you're Uni should pay for language courses before you go and no exaggeration you will learn the language within a matter of months!

    The US will also be fantastic, but is clearly up to you. Just think, with easyJet, you and your boyfriend can see each other all the time. A well advanced booked ticket to Paris can cost less than a train ticket home [or to each other's uni's]


    Don't let this opportunity pass you by! A year abroad is the best thing ever, no matter what country you go to!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Also, remember, some of the courses will be in English - I know I guy that spent a year in Leiden in the Netherlands as part of his law degree, and he studied there in English - although also took a Dutch course on the side.

    Take nicolalou's last sentence to heart - the girl speaks sense!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Rachael, do it.

    Studying in the States is amazing. The people are so friendly, it's cheap, and it's totally worth it for the experience.

    The plane: It's an eight hour flight at most from the UK, even to the other side of the States. My girlfriend is petrified of planes, I'll ask her for some recommendations for medicinal help or self-help techniques. On the way there she got up and wandered around chatting to everyone for nearly the whole trip.

    Very far away: Yes it is, but if you want to see the world it's something you have to come to terms with. You'd be amazed at how small the world can be through the Internet.

    Boyfriend: Really, you've got to ask yourself this, this is an experience that could shape the rest of your life. Do you really want to throw it away because of your boyfriend. Understandably you two have gotten attached to one another, but if it's meant to be then you can hold off for a year. He can come over to visit you, you stay in touch via email and letters. Being away can really help you figure out what's important in your life back home, and I can vouch for that.

    Friends: Again, your friends will be there when you get back, and you'll meet loads of other people when you get there.

    Family: Again, they'll be there when you get back.

    Really think long and hard about this, because being away can be really lonely (at times), and with the things that have been going on in your life recently being away from familiarity might make it more difficult to cope if things go wrong. I know that I did, and it was even for simple things like losing my glasses and it felt like the worst thing in the world.

    Good luck with your decision, whatever you decide.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparisParisPARISparis



    Although Boston and NYC are pretty neat...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    paris is really tempting me and i would like to pick up a new language :) thanks for the replies..i didnt see this until today

    been putting off going to speak to someone about it so need to get it sorted
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Go have a chat with someone about it. I'm doing ym year abroad at the moment, in Austria, then I go to France and I study languages however have discovered that 99.99999% of people speak english. I'm having so much, meeting new people and learning about new cultures! Because of your worries with regards to bf and friends I'd stay stick for europe,its easy for people to come and visit! one of the other girls here from my home uni is havin her boyfriend visit this weekend in fact. cheap cheap. I would DEFINITELY look into it :) pm me if you wanna ask any qus x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ah thankyou! i will do, still need to talk to someone about it..mentioned it to my bf that i was thinking of france and hes all for coming with me now
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