Challenges You Will Face While Studying Abroad
Studying overseas, outside India, not only gives you a great opportunity to experience an excellent education system but also changes your perspective to look at things differently, deal with hard situations and tackle problems. It is a life-changing experience. Studying in a foreign land gives a chance to explore a new continent, try new cuisines, and make new friends. While everything looks fancy, it is quite a bumpy ride that needs a lot of adjustments.
This article gives you a glance at a few challenges that you might encounter while you study in abroad.
1. Accommodation problems
Indians may find it troublesome to get suitable accommodation while studying abroad. It is difficult to find a place to accommodate that is near the university campus, plus one that is budget-friendly. If you opt for an apartment on rent, you will have to pay utility bills like electricity, water and internet additionally. Some universities also offer on-campus accommodation, if you are lucky enough you can get a place to accommodate in the university itself.
Trying to steer between two different time zones on opposite ends of the globe can be annoying initially. One has to constantly keep checking what time is suitable for a particular zone and get accustomed to making phone calls in early mornings or late evenings. Again, this happens in the initial days, once you get familiar with the time zone, you can set your routine.
Seeking higher studies abroad can be an expensive affair and students may face a financial crunch at some point. While you are prepared with your financial support for fees, accommodation, living expenses, travelling, books and study material, etc., you never know when you land in a financial emergency. And arranging money in case of an emergency can be a difficult task. However, most countries abroad permit foreign students to work on a part-time job for fixed hours per week. This way students can earn and support their daily expenses.
Indian students going abroad to countries like the USA, UK or Australia where English is spoken as their first language, might find it a little difficult to tackle the language barrier. Students find it hard to speak English fluently and many times it is even difficult to understand what the native wants to say. The use of words may differ in countries abroad. Even though you clear the standard exams like IELTS and TOEFL, matching the pace, tone and accent of foreign peers may be tricky. It takes time for students to understand the language and accent of people in a new country.
5. Doing everything by yourself
Mainly for Indian students, because of the culture, they come from it might be difficult to manage household chores like cleaning, cooking, washing, etc. in the initial days until they get habitual to do these chores while studying. Unlike India, hiring domestic help is pretty expensive as well as difficult in countries overseas. In foreign countries like the USA and Australia even the domestic help people charge on an hourly basis which may not be very economical for Indian students. Although, with time students adapt to these lifestyle changes and learn to manage situations making them independent.
This experience to study in abroad could be a lifetime opportunity. One may face a difficult situation that is short-lived for a few initial months, it gradually becomes a part of daily routine. Once students get into the new environment, they tend to learn and adapt to the different situations making them more strong and independent.