5 Stages of Studying Abroad as Told by Bease!

I remember at my pre-departure orientation before heading abroad, we talked about the stages of studying abroad. Now, I don't remember if the 5 stages I am using for this blog are the exact ones used in my pre-departure orientation, but I know it was something along these lines. And all of these phases were very real phases for me and several of my other friends. I can't tell you how long you will stay in each stage, or if you will actually go through each stage, but what I can tell you that you will have different emotions associated with your experience throughout your time studying abroad. With the help of my memory (which, is actually pretty terrible), friends, and some online resources you can find at the bottom of this post, here are the 5 Stages of Studying Abroad as told by Bease!

1) The Honeymoon Phase

The differences in trees amazed me during
my Honeymoon Phase!

In this stage, you are really excited about everything! This phase might start before you even leave home and can continue once you arrive to your destination. You're going to be fascinated and just so excited about your new life. You'll want to share it with everyone back home and think your life couldn't be better! 

As I was walking to the mall one day with my Australian housemates, I remember seeing my first kangaroos in a field. I cannot even explain to you the excitement I had, and my housemates thought it was the funniest thing ever. They told me I would soon come to view kangaroos as I view deer in the US, and that it was just because they were so new to me. I can't honestly say I ever got to the point where I would not get giddy with excitement when seeing kangaroos (which was all the time), my housemates were noticing my honeymoon phase tendencies in how excited I got about small differences between what I had known for 22 years and what I was experiencing abroad. 

2) The Loneliness and Homesickness Phase

After my first couple weeks abroad, I began feeling homesick.  I had left my Resident Assistant (RA) position to study abroad, and I really started feeling homesick when RA training pictures started bombarding my Facebook.  I was confused because just a few days before, I felt like I was on top of the world.  However, I also remembered all the warnings I kept getting that I would hit a phase of loneliness (I honestly didn't think homesickness would happen for me).  For me, I found myself really having to push myself to go hang out and make new friends, and I found it really hard to adjust to some of the differences I was facing in my host country. 

3) The Adjustment Phase

This is the moment where you're starting to be less uncomfortable with changes you have been facing during your experience, but you're still not thinking of this new place as a home.. You're finding yourself going along with the new customs of your new culture, but you're still just not very sure. You could very well still be feeling some homesickness during this phase, but maybe it's less intense. I remember after I had been in Australia for about a month, I was in a shopping mall with some of my housemates and I thought to myself "Ok, I can handle this until December. I'll be fine." I was beginning to be more comfortable with things, but was still looking forward to December. 

A picture from the beach weekend when I started
to think of Australia as 'home.'

4) Acceptance

This is the point where you begin thinking going 'home' may be difficult because, well...You feel like you are home! You have adjusted to new cultural customs you have found during the first few phases, and you feel comfortable with them. You have finally come to accept how your life is in the moment, and you're not particularly idealizing life in either your home or host country. You are just doing the thing called life and enjoying it, and you feel relaxed and secure in your new 'home.' For me, this came in the middle/later September. I had gone on a beach weekend trip with some of my friends, and something hit me where I started dreading going home, because I felt like I was home. 

5) Reverse Culture Shock

This was actually something that affected me MUCH more than I ever thought possible. I found it very difficult to adjust back to the American school system, on-campus/RA life, and not being constantly surrounded by such a diverse friend group. I loved seeing my old friends, but it was strange because I had changed during my time abroad, and they had changed since the 6 months that had passed since I had last seen them. It took me a good two months to re-adjust to the life I had known for 22 years, which I still think is strange. You might feel lonely, and I always wanted to talk about my time abroad but wasn't sure how much detail others really wanted to hear. It's definitely an interesting experience to go through reverse culture shock!

I sometimes think the reason I had such a hard time returning back to the States was because studying abroad was the best 5 months of my life. I loved it all, and even during the phases of loneliness, I was learning about myself and a different way of life. Studying abroad truly changed my life in ways I could never imagine, and it's an experience I will cherish forever!

***My stages are based on a semester long program, and stages may vary greatly if you are on a 2 week or even month long program.***

Additional Resources:

http://www.studyabroad.com/articles/the-study-abroad-rollercoaster-of-emotions.aspx

http://www.topuniversities.com/blog/five-stages-studying-abroad

http://www.studentawards.com/stacks/articles/working-or-studying-abroad-how-to-manage-the-5-phases-of-culture-shock.aspx

10 Packing Tips

Sometimes, packing for even a short trip can be a challenge. So, packing for a study abroad experience that could be 4 or 5 months can seem downright impossible. The good news is, it can be done! It doesn’t mean it’s the easiest thing in the world to do, but here are some tips to make your life a little easier when getting ready to leave!

1) Pack in advance

Do not wait until the night before or even two nights before. I started about two nights before I left and it was a mess. I would advise start packing about a week or so in advance. That way, you have time to get anything from the store you might want and to change your mind a few times until you feel you have exactly what you want. 

2) Pack half the clothes you think you’ll need

I packed my suitcase with everything I wanted, then took about half of what I had packed out. This is what a friend suggested I do, and I was extremely glad I used this strategy. There were still things I never even wore for my 5 months abroad.

3) Bring clothes for a variety of weather

Even if you are going somewhere that is typically warm, you may experience at least a few chilly days, and you'll want your favorite jacket. If you do any traveling while abroad, you may encounter different weather and you'll want to be prepared.

4) Think about what you will acquire while abroad

You are going to come back with stuff you have acquired - clothes, books, souvenirs, etc. Be sure you leave room for those things. I took my bedding with me in a space bag and then left that with my Australian roommate when I left, which created a lot of extra space for coming back home. I also initially packed toiletries and then left all that in Australia (except for small bottles in case I missed a flight or something). 

5) Weigh your bags

You don't want to be charged an overweight fee - baggage fees are expensive enough without adding an overweight fee! Be sure you look into the baggage fees and policies for your airline and flight.

6) Think about how you will carry your luggage

Have a strategy in mind for how to carry everything you are taking. It can be difficult to carry so many bags through an airport, train station, bus station, etc, so think about this before and maybe even test it out if you’re really worried about carrying everything. 

7) Pack a good carry-on bag

Luggage can and does get lost. Be sure you pack a carry-on with essentials to get you through for at least a couple nights. Clothes, toothbrush, toiletry, phone charger, money, etc. Luckily, my luggage got lost on the way BACK from studying abroad, so I had all my clothes at home that I hadn't seen in 4 months, but the moral is...Luggage can and does get lost (or, as I said, it likes to take a vacation without you). 

8) Pack a smaller bag for traveling around

You might have the chance to travel around your host country/continent during school breaks, so you'll probably want a smaller bag to pack for that. I had a duffel bag that was pretty large, but I thought it was convenient because I could just not fill it up and then squish it into small car spaces if needed. 

9) Pack an extra source of money

I luckily decided to get a credit card right before I studied abroad, just in case. About a month before I came home, my debit card information was stolen, and I had to cancel my debit card. My bank would not mail a new card internationally, so I literally had to rely on my credit card. So, be sure to have a back-up method of money.

10) Pack photos or letters from home

If you're going to be gone for a while, you might experience homesickness. Having something comforting from home can help with this. I took a few photos I used to decorate my room, and I took a few letters from friends just to have with me for those moments of homesickness.

Packing can be hard, and no matter how hard you try, you might forget something. Don't worry too much, you'll be able to buy things once you arrive in your host country if this happens. One of my most valuable lessons in studying abroad was how to go with the flow and be flexible - two qualities that have helped me in life even after studying abroad!

Program Types

There are a few different types of programs you might run across during your study abroad search. The type of program could make a huge difference in the way of finances and just finding the right program for you. Be sure to do research to see what works best for you, but here is some brief information about the types of programs offered at WIU! 

Group Programs

These programs are the most popular type of program and they range in length from one week to three months. So, if you are looking for a short program, these might be a great thing to check out! Each of these programs are led by a WIU professor. Programs may differ from year to year, so if something is not looking interesting to you, hang around and see what else comes up! 

There are options for winter break programs, spring break programs, and summer programs. Each program counts for WIU credit, but be sure to make sure you talk with your advisor if you take a trip outside of your department to make sure those credits can count for an elective or some other class. Students from any major can go on most of these programs, so do not rule anything out because you are not studying that particular subject!

To see a list of current group programs available, visit:

http://wiu-sa.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink&Parent_ID=3548FEE6-782B-CB2F-B959349899A6AE5A&Link_ID=0E3C0EB8-782B-CB2F-B9595C0AD77521D8

Exchange Programs

Exchange programs are often more affordable, as you would be paying WIU tuition instead of paying tuition to the school you actually attend while abroad. If your budget is a huge concern, these programs might be best suited for you! With some programs, you will even pay room and board to WIU too! Exchange programs can require a great amount of independence since you are not with a faculty member like on group programs. Don't let that scare you though, that can be part of your learning experience. This is the type of program I went through, and I loved the challenge of figuring things out for myself! I created my own support group with other exchange students and my housemates, so you still don't have to do everything on your own.

To see a list of current exchange program options, visit:

http://wiu-sa.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink&Parent_ID=3548FEE6-782B-CB2F-B959349899A6AE5A&Link_ID=450F5740-782B-CB2F-B9590055488505E3

Affiliate Providers

There are several affiliate providers available to choose from. These programs will require you to pay a program cost, but often offer more support and planned activities than exchange programs. Each affiliate may do things a little differently, so it will be important for you to research different options to find what works best for you. There also might be more options through these affiliates since there are so many different affiliates to go through. So, if you have your heart set on one specific location and exchange is not available for that location, an affiliate provider might be your next option. 

To see a list of current affiliate provider options, visit: (You could be redirected to the affiliates’ website)

http://wiu-sa.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink&Parent_ID=3548FEE6-782B-CB2F-B959349899A6AE5A&Link_ID=46375B7A-782B-CB2F-B959B61790556E04

Regardless of the type of program you are looking at, it is important to discuss your plans with both your academic advisor as well as an advisor in the study abroad office. Both advisors can provide helpful information as you plan your study abroad trip, so do not forget to use the resources available to you in making your decision! 

The Land Down Under

Hanging out with my kangaroo friend, Freddie,
at Pebbly Beach in Bateman's Bay

So far, I have written about why you study abroad and factors to consider when deciding where to go. I thought now could be a good time for me to share a little bit of my experience in studying abroad because who wants to listen to someone who hasn’t actually lived the experience they are promoting? Here’s my story, which I could talk about for hours and hours! :)

Canberra is about 3 hours from Sydney and 7 hours from Melbourne.
Keep in mind Australia is about the size of the continental US!

Canberra, Australia

I studied abroad in Canberra, Australia (which is actually the capital of Australia) during Fall 2012 (our Fall, their Spring due to the season difference). Canberra is not located on the coast like most Australian cities.  It is about 3 hours from Sydney and 7 hours from Melbourne. The school I attended was the University of Canberra (UC), which had about 12,000 students.  

                                                                          

                                                                        On-Campus Living

Apartments I lived in while abroad!

 I lived in the on-campus residences, which Aussies call “Ressies.” I was fortunate enough to live  in an apartment with 5 other Australian students, which made my experience that much better since I became so close with students from the Australian culture! I lived with a mixture of males and females, which was extremely different from my previous housing experiences. While I was at first hesitant about this, I came to absolutely LOVE having the mixture of genders. It has been 2 years, and I still occasionally talk to some of my housemates. They were definitely extremely helpful for me in making the most of my experience abroad as they could tell me about the Australian culture, take me to do local things that maybe weren’t as touristy, and just give me travel advice! 

Center of the University of Canberra

Classes

Classes, or ‘uni’ as Australians say, were so different from home. Each class met twice a week, once for lecture (think about our large lecture halls) and once for ‘tutorials,’ which are smaller sub-sections of students from your lecture. I took 4 classes, and I only had 3 or 4 exams my entire semester. I had to do mostly applied and case study papers (I was taking all psychology courses), which was different from what I was used to at home. Their grading system was also very different, and professors graded things much harder than in the US. I could make an 80 on something in Australia and it would be an ‘A’ in the US, so it all kind of evened out though!

"Koala"-ty time with this cute koala 

Getting Around Canberra and Traveling

One of my huge worries when I decided to study abroad was how I would get around when I got there. Luckily, between the Canberra public transportation and my housemates, I never had a huge problem getting places. The mall (which included a grocery store) was about a 15 minute walk, so I could easily walk there (and made my housemates come pick me up instead of carrying everything back)! I also found Australia to be an easy place to travel around, as I managed to make it to several places I wanted to see! Some of my trips included Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns (which is where the Great Barrier Reef is), Cape Tribulation, Uluru (The Outback of Australia), and Bateman’s Bay (a small town on the coast). I also managed to make it over to New Zealand after classes and that was super awesome!

Friends!

My travel buddies! From left to right:
Me, Katie (Maryland), Anna (Tennessee), Mandy (Canada), and Shelby (Kansas)

The best thing that came from studying abroad was the friends I made! I traveled to several places with the same few people, and we all developed such a tight bond. I still talk to several of my friends I met in Australia on a regular basis-and some of them, I still talk to everyday. It’s amazing the connection we formed, but I guess that is what happens when you’re all in a foreign country and ready to go on all the adventures you could ever imagine. Since coming back, I have been to Kansas, California, and Canada to visit friends I met! I’ve had 4 people come visit me in Tennessee, and I think that shows the bonds I formed with my friends there. I also met my best friend while in Australia, and she just happened to be from Tennessee as well, so we now have weekly Skype dates that we refer to as “Team Tennessee Night.” Seriously, I just cannot imagine my life without the people I met while abroad!

While writing this, I have realized how hard it is to put my experience into such few words. It was the most life-changing and best experience of my life. It’s been 2 years, and I still think about my time abroad every day. It is definitely an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life!

Interested in Knowing More?!

*If you’re interested in having an awesome study abroad experience, then let us know! E-mail the WIU study abroad office at studyabroad@wiu.edu or call the office at 309-298-2504! You can check out additional information on our website as well! Our website is: http://www.wiu.edu/studyabroad 

*If you are interested in hearing more about my own experience in Australia, feel free to check out my personal blog from my time abroad at http://beasedownunder.blogspot.com/!

8 Considerations When Choosing A Study Abroad Program and Location

Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, Central America, South America, North America! With so many locations to choose from, how do you make the decision of where to study abroad? How you personally decide where to go may look different from how others make that same decision, but that’s ok. The important thing is that you remember only you can make the decision on where to go. After all, this is YOUR experience! There are some helpful tips that may help you make your decision a little easier. I asked several of my friends I met during my time abroad how they made their decisions – let’s just say I was shocked at how many different answers I got! So, while this list cannot make the decision for you, I hope that hearing what others who have been through the experience of studying abroad can help you narrow down your search to find the perfect location for you!

1) Language: This was my top consideration when I thought about what I wanted. I knew I didn’t want to live in a country that didn’t speak English (foreign languages are not my forte). However, I had other friends choose a country based on a foreign language they were majoring in or just interested in. Studying in a country is a fantastic way to learn a new language or improve your skills with a language you are already studying.

2) Length of Program: Do you want to go during Spring Break or do you want to spend an entire semester (or even year!) abroad? Spring Break sound too short, but a semester too long? Then there are summer options! The good news is no matter how long you are looking to study abroad, you can find a program that fits your wants. If you are going in the Fall and have to be back to your home institution for classes, it is important to look at when you will be finished with classes abroad. Many school systems do not have the same exact semesters we do, and their classes may still be going on when you need to be back. Similarly, if you’re looking for a summer experience, be sure you’ll be able to be back by whenever classes start in August!

3) Weather: This is one of those that I didn’t think about, but after one of my friends told me that was the main thing they looked for, I wondered how weather never even crossed my mind! Are you looking for snow or something tropical? Or something in between or similar to home? Also, if you are looking in the Southern Hemisphere, remember our summer is their winter and our winter is their summer. 

4) Somewhere you never thought you would go: Maybe you know that one day, you will make it to Europe. But, you’re just not sure you’ll ever make it to Africa. So, maybe you decide that you should take this experience and go somewhere you might not make it otherwise! Maybe you want to challenge yourself more and put yourself in a culture that you are completely unfamiliar with. Then look at somewhere you’ve never thought about! On the other hand…

5) Where you always wanted to go: I had always wanted to go to Australia, so this was also one of my deciding factors. I thought just getting out of the country would be a big enough challenge, so I wanted somewhere that could be perceived as more familiar. Even if you do choose to go somewhere you perceive as more familiar, you’re still going to be in a different place and facing challenges. It’s all about what you want and how big of a challenge you’re looking for! And what is challenging to one person, might not be so challenging for another – and that’s ok! 

6) Financial Considerations: Some countries are just going to be more expensive than others. Europe and Australia might be more expensive…South America and Africa might be cheaper. Since budgets are so tight with college students these days, this could be a very important factor. Remember, financial aid can be an option to help with your expenses as well. 

7) Academic Responsibilities: You are STUDYING abroad, so you’re going to have some academic responsibilities. And you’re going to want your academics to count for something. So, look at what institutions offer classes, internships, or volunteer opportunities that you need and make sure those will transfer back. 

8) Right Fit: Once again, this is about YOU. Only you know what will work best for you. Nobody else can tell you. While it can be good to hear about experiences from other people, this decision is up to you! Trust in yourself and know that no matter what, you can do this! 

Additional Resources:

http://www.hartwick.edu/academics/academic-support-services/psge/global-education/study-abroad-main-page/semester-long-study-abroad/how-to-choose-a-study-abroad-program

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3-2TebN7p0&list=PLA2C20EDB87AA9804

https://wiu-sa.terradotta.com/index.cfm?
FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink&Parent_ID=0&Link_ID=3548FEE6-782B-CB2F-B959349899A6AE5A (For WIU students)

10 Reasons to Study Abroad

If you’re visiting this site, chances are you’re thinking of studying abroad, but not completely convinced why you should go yet. Or, maybe you’re just bored and stumbled upon this site and you’ve never thought about studying abroad before, but I encourage you to continue on reading even if that is your case. Whatever brought you here, hopefully this blog will help you realize why studying abroad is a great opportunity you should take advantage of while at Western Illinois University!

So, here are 10 reasons why you should study abroad:

1) Internationalize Yourself: As our world becomes more and more interconnected, exposing yourself to the world is more important than ever. Studying abroad allows you to experience an entire new way of life, where the opportunities are endless to learn about yourself and others. 

2) Challenge Yourself: Wherever you choose to go, you will likely be outside of your comfort zone, but this is part of the fun while being abroad! Living in an unfamiliar place, budgeting your money, and overcoming homesickness are all challenges you will face while abroad, but once you overcome these challenges, you will feel like you have accomplished so much - which, you will have. :)

3) Resume Booster: Employers in today’s world love seeing study abroad on a resume. During your everyday life, you will have opportunities to develop important skills valuable in a career, such as problem solving, flexibility, and a multicultural perspective.

4) Meet New People and Make New Friends: Some of my absolute best friends are the ones I met while studying abroad. Some I talk to almost every day, but even the ones I may not talk to as often, we still keep in touch sporadically. I also have friends all over the US and world, which is pretty cool in thinking about how many places I can now travel to to visit people!

5) Gain Interpersonal Skills: Interpersonal skills are all about how we interact with others. You will come back and have new knowledge about how to interact with others who are different from you, which is a great skill to have! Not only can it make you more comfortable in interacting with others, but employers will like it too!

6) Learning Opportunities: There are learning opportunities EVERYWHERE when studying abroad. In what might be simple conversations with your friends in the US (such as the process to get a drivers license), you can learn A LOT if you have a group from all over the world. In interacting with students from your host institution, you can learn about their lifestyle and culture. You will also learn so much about yourself during your time abroad, and what a fun way to learn about yourself!

7) Learn a New Language: What better way to learn a new language than live in a country where it is spoken on a daily basis? Even if you are pretty good at a language, you will always have more to learn from natives of that language.

8) Learn About a New Culture: There are so many ways to do life besides how you grew up doing it. Go out and learn about those ways and learn to appreciate differences!

9) Learn in a New Environment: Your host institution will probably have different classes from your home institution. Also, experiencing a completely different education system is just something exciting and unique to do! So, while it can be easy to get caught up in travel, travel, travel, there’s a lot to learn from your new university as well!  

10) The Travel Experience: No matter where you go, there will be new places and things to see. Even better, right now is the only time you will be able to use financial aid and scholarships to travel! Take advantage of the resources offered to you while you are a student and go learn while traveling!

Additional Resources:

http://thestudyabroadblog.com/top-10-reasons-to-study-abroad/

http://www.northwestern.edu/studyabroad/prospective-students/why-study-abroad.html

http://www.studyabroad.com/articles/why-should-i-study-abroad.aspx

http://www.studentuniverse.com/travel-guides/study-abroad/10-reasons-why-you-should-study-abroad