The tough part of living abroad

(before anything this might end up a little whiny or I might sound spoiled but it's just facts. Disclaimer is that this was my choice and I adore living abroad : but there's ups and downs).

So I will be going back to uni next year and have been looking for universities abroad. I started working out of country roughly three years back and spent time in the UK, Italy, China and now Italy again with only one / two months of a break at home at a time. My work is just glorified babysitting that doesn't pay super well ( I do write on the side and will have private students once I move again so it's not that much of an issue but ) but it's gotten me around parts of the world and well that's fun but..

Some days are kind of hard because you wake up missing your family and even though you'll see them soon it feels like that day will never come. 

And then some days you hang out with people you barely know and just miss your friends who you've know for years. I lost a lot of people close to me when I chose to stay abroad for years and there's days i feel bad about it but...

The real challenge has to be the language. 

I mean don't get me wrong I'm actually passionate about learning new languages and about new cultures but sometimes I just want to have a full on English conversation without having to speak slower (or to switch to another language in the middle. Or be treated as a tourist in the town I've lived for months because I'm speaking a different language suddenly. 

And then of course sometimes I just want to speak my actual mother tongue which no one speaks here (and I only use it with my family anyway but like..) or speak Mandarin without having to go to a Chinese restaurant and spend tons of money (ok they aren't expensive but it was easier in China!) 

What gets me however, what really really gets me...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is moving and having to pack my suitcases. 

I swear every single time I promise myself to bring only the important stuff but ... Yeah that's not what happens. I already have more than what I need and I'm going to Paris in a month.... I'm going to buy so many clothes. I don't even worry about my terrible French (like... Seriously it's beyond 0 at this point) but about all the clothes I want to get! I am glad I'll have a lot more space this time and that I'll go to school but a big part of me is just planning how to spend all the money I get :D on the other hand, I am super thankful to have these kind of issues. While it's very difficult to live abroad I feel that so far I've been lucky(ish.) There's some nasty stuff that has happened but I've gotten over it so... 

My point is that if you ever have the chance, go abroad . Study or work, enjoy a different kind of life. It will be very very hard but you'll find happiness in the little things. And you'll learn so much . 

 

But of course...

You'll also probably get fat because changes do that to you 

Wait no that's only me and the fact that I love Italian food too much. Ice cream for days!

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dieukyungsoo #1
I 100% understand what you mean. I just turned seventeen, and I've been living in Québec for the past month (I live in Ontario). I know it's not exactly "abroad", but I still don't get to see my parents and my living situation is a lot of the same independence levels as if I lived on my own. Like you mentioned, there's also that language difference. My French is good and I adore the language and that's why I'm here, to learn more and to keep speaking, but one of the most crushing feelings is having a conversation with someone and missing a huge part of what they're saying because you don't understand (sometimes they use words I'm not familiar with, or in the part of Québec I'm in, the majority of them have an accent, so speaking fast and making three words into one on top of the accent can be hard to understand) or wanting to say something but not knowing how. My friends here speak English and a lot of the people I learn from are lenient if I throw in a few English words because I don't know the French for it, so it could be worse. I leave back home on Friday, and am in the process of packing my things, and I have that same melancholic feeling as when I first arrived, but instead of being because I will miss my family and such, it's because I'll miss all the new friends I've made. Again, though, I'm lucky, a lot of them live 2 to 5 hours away, but some of them live in entirely different provinces and even countries (some of my closest friends here are from Mexico, Poland, the United States), so it's more unsure of when (and if) I'll get to see them again. But there's always the plus side, all of these are wonderful opportunities and experiences! I hope you have the time of your life in Paris (I was there for a few days back in March and already want to go back), and if you ever need help with your French don't be afraid to hmu :)
ThunderGreen #2
Hi! It s funny how I barely reads blogs but I do now and I can totally relate to you. I ve lived in Paris for like 3 years now I moved away from my family too. It s really tough at first I have to admit. I used to cry a lot for the first years, I even came to a point where I almost bought a ticket back home and not come back. But then I ve met people, I ve learnt to be alone and appreciate the city as it is. The solution is to make the first step always. In my case I really like talking to people with or without the correct language, and if they are mean and reject me Idc, there 7 billion others I can try to talk to. And if it works then you may have friends for life. Paris is really tough, everything is expensive, french people especially those in the capital city may seem cold but in fact they are just like you, busy and rushing but good people. I wish you all the luck and remember, it s always hard at first but just give it a try always with a positive mind and I swear to you Paris has more to offer than you can ever take 😊
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