Everyone might be curious about what it's like to be going far away from home, living by your own and studying abroad. It has been nearly a year and half already since I came to study in the United States of America. I have traveled a very long way, and within 17-hour flights from my beautiful country, Cambodia. It is very hard to live alone, especially when you are just 17 years old and leaving your family and, most importantly, your friends. However, I learned a lot from these past 11 months during my time here. This article will give you some information about what you get when you're living and studying abroad. I hope all of you like it.
1. You learn that everything is all magically amazing.
One thing I learned was I was amazed by every single thing. Even though you see the squirrels running all around campus, you would be like, "This is so cute." Everything you see probably is going to make you become a lively person, especially the season changes from spring to summer to fall to winter.
2. You learn how to do everything alone, even going shopping.
One of the most beneficial things of studying abroad is you learn to be more independent. I literally spend my time doing everything alone here for these past 11 months, especially watching movies in the theater. To some people, it is a sad thing. But to me, it is a good thing, and you're used to it because you have the ability of understanding your true self more. Being alone has made me realize that I am a very strong person, and I am able to do everything that I want to do.
3. All you want to do is explore.
Coming to another country is a life-changing experience; everyone probably wants to visit every place all around the country. Although, when you're in class, and when you look out the window and you see very beautiful weather, it is going to make you to want to go outside and take a walk by the lagoon, listen to your favorite music and read your favorite book under the shade of the tree. One of the main things you are excited for is road trip, no matter if it is a two-hour drive to somewhere where you can see a spectacular view, the lake, the mountains, the waterfalls and more.
4. You actually understand who you really are.
Studying abroad is one of the things that you will able to develop within yourself in terms of finding your true self. After these past eight months, I learned how to actually love myself more because I always prioritize myself first before anyone else. You are you — if you don't love yourself for who you are, no one will. Life is short, so take risks, and if you don't succeed, it doesn't matter. You have a vast of majority of opportunities to do the things that you really like.
5. Miss home? I'm used to it.
Seeing other students go home during weekends sort of makes you feel like you really want to go home. But then you realize, well, you can't go. One question that people in school would ask you is, "Do you miss home? When are you going home? Does your family miss you?" You get all of those questions, but you don't really care. Within this, it actually made you become very independent because you are living in pain or pressure of not seeing your family. You wish you could be going home and hugging all of your family members or eating all those home-cooked meals.
6. You probably realize your English is not that good (if you study in an English-speaking country)!
This is kind of a funny thing. You might consider that your English is kind of good or at reasonable or fluent when you're back home. But wait until you leave the country and come to the native English-speaking country. Sometimes you would feel like no one would ever understand you when you try to speak a phrase or pronounce a word for the first time. What happened to me was when I tried to tell everyone about a "scarf," but I literally pronounced it as "scarve," and no one understood it. It is really different while you used to speak English in the country where it is a second or third language.
7. When everyone hears you speaking your language, everything is cool!
It is very nice to see how everyone reacts to you while you're speaking your language. They love it, and they would ask about what is it, the alphabet, how to count the numbers and much more.
8. You literally become the master of the culinary arts!
Making food is the best thing while living and studying abroad. You learn so much, you could even create a new recipe. And every single time, you would ever taste a type of food, you would be thinking of, "I feel like I've tasted this before" or, "It tastes so similar.... I can't, I'm crying...."
