Having studied abroad in both Europe and Asia for a year, I have experienced daily life in two non-English speaking countries for a year now. And all I can say to that is "WOW!". At first, I didn't really think much of it because I thought many students study abroad and live their semesters without speaking much English other than in their classes. However, a lot of my peers studied abroad for one semester, about 4 to 5 months, rather than one year, and mostly in countries where English is widely spoken.
However, my experiences have proved to be completely different and unique. The first time I went abroad, I studied in Prague, the Czech Republic where English was not a language that was widely spoken. Some of the locals understood what I was saying, but I got around mostly through pointing at something or just by the context. Although all of my classes were taught in English and everyone who also studied abroad with me spoke English, it felt weird not using English to get by my daily life. For example, when I bought groceries, I had to translate what the item meant from Czech to English and when I paid for what I bought, I just looked at the numbers instead of hearing and understanding what the cashier was saying. Such little things in our life such as buying food or groceries became a new experience for me.
Currently, I am studying abroad in Shanghai, China and surprisingly, I thought there would be more English speakers or people who understand English. However, that is not the case at all. Just like Prague, other than my classes, English is not spoken or understood widely. In addition to the locals not speaking English, half of the students are Chinese students who mainly speak Chinese. It is a new and surprising yet similar experience for me because I am yet in another country where English is not widely spoken yet even understood. However, I believe that this is the full experience of study abroad one should get. A country where you know and feel that you aren't at home. Although it may be uncomfortable at first, it becomes more and more like a home away from home.
What I learned from ditching English for one year and studying abroad in two countries that became homes away from home for me is that I am definitely grateful for the opportunity to experience such. I know many students never get to study abroad and I feel extremely thankful that I got to, and two times even. I highly encourage any student or students who are contemplating whether to or not to take action to study abroad and choose a country that may feel scary and unfamiliar at first. This is the only way to learn and grow and appreciate all your experiences even more.
