14 Study Abroad Tips for the Best Semester Ever
I feel now that I have completed my studies here in Santiago, Chile I can provide some tips to those of you who are about to embark on your own study abroad adventures. These 14 study abroad tips are pretty broad and don’t just have to do with Chile so hopefully they will help you deal with as little stress as possible.
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TRAVEL BASICS
Transport: CHEAP FLIGHTS & BUSES
Transport: AIRPORT TRANSFERS
Accommodation: HOTEL DEALS & CHEAP HOSTELS
Things to Do: TOURS & ACTIVITIES
Getting Around: RENTAL CARS
Safety & Health: TRAVEL INSURANCE
If you can help it DO NOT take a full course load.
Let’s be honest shall we? No one studies abroad solely to study. If they did that, they would just stay at their own school and not waste money seeing the beauty of different cultures. Remember that every university is different and universities in other countries are EXTREMELY different from the university you currently attend. They often have different ways of grading, different assignments, different layouts, different ways to sign up for classes and that doesn’t even involve the possible language barrier. I took a full course load here because it’s my fourth year and I wanted to graduate the following semester but if I could go back I think I would change that so that I would have more free time to explore.
Try to study abroad in your second or third year rather than your fourth year.
Now I’m not saying that if you’re going into your fourth year you shouldn’t study abroad. I studied abroad in my fourth year and it was amazing. Really I did it because it was my last chance to do so so I jumped at the opportunity. However if you’re currently in first or second year and thinking of studying abroad try to do it earlier so that you don’t have to worry about taking as many courses. This way you can take some electives while abroad rather than having to worry about graduating on time etc.
I wish I had gone and studied abroad earlier because I ended up having to take a full course load in order to graduate on time. And even then, I still didn’t graduate on time because I ended up failing a class while abroad. I mean, almost all my courses were taught in Spanish so don’t judge me 😉 .
Don’t stay in one place.
Obviously you are already following this suggestion by going to study abroad (YAY!) but what I mean is, don’t just stay in the city you are studying in. Go on weekend trips. Go on LOTS of weekend trips. While studying in Santiago, Chile I also managed to go to the Atacama desert, Valparaiso, Viña del Mar, Con-Con, Pucón, Punta Arenas, Peru and Argentina. Traveling around the city/country you choose to study in is going to be cheaper than it will ever be in your life because you’re already there! Make the most of it.
Plan classes wisely.
Even though I took a full course load I managed to plan my course schedule so that I didn’t have classes on Fridays. That way every weekend was a long weekend. Turns out lots of the friends I made while studying abroad had done the same thing so we went on weekend trips together!
Live like a local.
There are many ways to do this. One would be to live with locals. You can do this by renting a room from a family (this is what I did) or looking to rent a room in an apartment with locals for roommates. You do have to be careful about scams online but if you find a website that seems reliable you can always email or talk to the consulate (who you will probably have to meet up with to get a student visa) and ask them if they know anything about it. If you’re going to Chile I would recommend finding a place to live through Contact Chile.
Another way to live like a local is to make friends with locals. This can be difficult sometimes especially if you’re starting school part way through the school year, but do it because you won’t be sorry. You can also try using the app Meetup. Meetup is an app where you can find or start your own clubs and get togethers. There’s book clubs, cycling groups, yoga meet ups, wine and cheese groups and so much more. It’s a great way to meet people abroad who have similar interests as you!
Get your cell phone unlocked while you’re home!
If you want to have a functioning cell phone while you’re abroad, you need to take it in to get it unlocked. Basically what this means is they disconnect it from your carrier so that when you go abroad you just take out your SIM card and buy a new SIM card when you get there. I found this to be really simple and easy… until I lost my cell phone in Patagonia… but that’s besides the point. You can get cell phones unlocked at many cell phone repair shops as well as at shops that sell cell phones.
If you’re in the United States and you have a cell phone with Sprint, you will need to take your phone to Sprint to get it unlocked. Most other carriers are easier to unlock.
Plan your Student Visa process well in advance.
I wish I had planned my time more carefully when it came to this. Each country requires different things for your student visa and in some cases you may not even need a visa (depends on which country, for how long you’re staying etc.). As soon as you get accepted to study abroad find out whether or not you need a Student Visa. I needed one and I had to travel to a different city twice to go to different doctor’s appointments and to get certain documents. Plus some documents can take up to 6 weeks to process. It can be a nightmare (in fact I only received my Student Visa one day before I left = super stressful) so get started early.
When planning weekend trips stay in hostels!
Hostels are one of my favorite parts of traveling. You get to meet people from all over the world and you all already have a common interest – traveling! Plus it’s cheap and sometimes breakfast is even included. The websites I like to use are Agoda and Hostel World.
Learn the language!
I can’t believe I didn’t mention this sooner. Even if you are taking all your classes in your mother tongue, try to learn as much of the language as possible. Before leaving I would suggest looking up how to say common phrases such as “hello, goodbye, please, thank you, where is the bathroom, one beer please” etc. The more you speak the language the more people will appreciate you trying AND the less likely you will get ripped off when shopping.
“When you speak to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. When you speak to a man in his language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela.
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- Learn a Foreign Language: The Best Programs & Classes Online
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- Spanish in Chile & Chilean Slang: Everything You Need to Know
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Journal or blog.
Writing in either a journal or a blog are good for different reasons. I keep a journal for thoughts and stories I’d rather not share online as well as to glue in different mementos from my trip (airplane tickets, movie stubs etc.). I also draw and paint in it. Your journal will probably end up being better than any souvenir you bring home because you will have recorded memories in it and going back and reading it in the future will be amazing.
My blog has been mostly so that I can help other people plan their own trips. It has allowed me to let my loved ones know what I’m up to and how I’m doing. It also is a good way to just practice writing and to connect with other travelers, and if you’re dedicated enough, a blog can end up making you some money down the road.
Here are a few articles on travel blogging in case you want to start your own:
- Naming a Blog: How I Came Up with a Travel Blog Name & How to Name Yours
- 13 Facebook Groups to Promote Your Travel Blog In
- 8 Things I Did To Double My Travel Blog Traffic In One Year
- Travel Blogging Resources
Try new things.
This one is kind of a no-brainer. You’re in a new place and it can be intimidating at first but let go of fear and try new things! This means food, drinks, and activities. For example while here in South America, I have eaten alpaca in the Atacama desert and guinea pig in Peru. (PSA the alpaca tastes way better than the guinea pig). I also went sandboarding for the first time and got a new tattoo! Try to do as many new things as possible. You’re in a different country so there are going to be so many opportunities for you to do new things.
Be safe.
While trying new things, don’t be stupid. If you want to go sky diving or bungee jumping check websites like Trip Advisor and make sure the agency you are going with is reliable and safe. If you want to get a tattoo make sure ahead of time that everything is extremely clean and has good safety ratings online.
Also, be careful with taxis. I know that there are a lot of “unmarked” taxis in Europe that you have to be wary of and here in Santiago the taxis are known to be dangerous. I took a taxi alone here during my first month and almost got into a really terrible situation because of it (don’t worry I ended up fine). To be safe make sure you either have a friend (preferably male) share a taxi with you or download a Safe Taxi app on your cell phone. If you’re female and you know the taxis in your area can be dangerous then never ever take a taxi alone. My friends and I would sometimes just have sleepovers after a night out to avoid dangerous taxi situations.
Don’t get involved in protests unless you know for a fact that it is safe.
Protests happen in Santiago almost every single day for a variety of different things. However, the Canadian and American embassies strictly warn not to get involved with any protests here because they can turn ugly fast. If your embassy warns you not to get involved, listen! If you get in trouble at a protest and your embassy has already warned you, it means that they will refuse to help you even if you get injured. Take warnings seriously.
Be yourself and have fun!
Going abroad means you have a new opportunity to start fresh and explore. You are embarking on the journey of a lifetime (as cheesy as that sounds) and you won’t be the same person when you come back. Follow your heart and do things that make YOU happy. Most importantly have so much fun!
Good luck and have a great semester abroad!
Other posts you might like:
- Study Abroad Challenges: Tips for Dealing with Challenges Abroad
- How to Decide Where to Spend a Semester Abroad
- How To Prepare for Long Term Travel: A Before You Go Checklist
- Eco-Friendly Travel: How to Have a *Slightly* More Sustainable Flight
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