This Is Why I Thought I Would Never Study Abroad
When I first brought up the topic of study abroad to my family, the responses I got were this:
So much negativity was drilled into my head about it that I simply put it off as something not worth pursuing. If it was so problematic, then I wouldn’t be missing out on anything…right?
Or so I thought.
A friend of mine had just returned from her studies overseas. Curious about her experience, I messaged her asking if she wanted to catch up. She responded positively and we met in a nearby café where we used to hang out after school, just like the old days.
Upon seeing her, I was surprised. She seemed to glow, and carried herself with confidence—so different from the girl I used to know.
“How was it studying abroad?” I asked.
“It’s been good!” she responded.
She explained that living alone had really pushed her to take better control of her own life. Without parents to remind her, she had to do everything herself. From managing the groceries, budgeting her expenses and submitting her assignments on time while pursuing her degree, she had become more independent.
“Being in an unfamiliar environment where people speak a different language can be pretty scary at first,” she admitted. “So, I tried learning their language. It took me a few weeks, but I was finally able to converse with the locals. To me, it was a huge achievement. I realized that I was capable of doing anything on my own—even if it took some time!”
Studying abroad also led her to discover parts of the world she had never seen before. She was in Malaysia, so her study group would often take her on weekend trips to visit neighboring cities. She described her numerous experiences– viewing architectural sights in Kuala Lumpur, strolling on the beach at Langkawi Island, and trying various Malaysian delicacies in Penang, as one of the most rewarding experiences ever.
However, the process that she had to go through was not easy.
“I had to submit my application to many universities first before getting my Student Visa,” she explained. “I got rejected many times because my application wasn’t complete or I didn’t meet certain requirements. I think it took more than 6 tries before I finally got it right!”
Her obstacles didn’t end there. Even though she engaged a counsellor to help her process the documents, the counsellor was slow to respond and ended up delaying her Visa by 3 weeks.
She finally heaved a sigh of relief when she was accepted into a good university in Malaysia, but wished that she had someone to guide her in her first attempt to study abroad.
When I asked her if she would choose to study abroad again, she replied;
“Oh, definitely, it really opens your mind to the different cultures and perspective of the people who live there. I would change one thing though. Next time, hire a better counsellor!”
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