When you visit overseas for higher education, you enter into a new life. Different people, different cultures, and there are a lot of other things you find different from your native place. In that situation, you face several challenges. Here, you will read about those challenges and some suggestions to face those challenges.
Social and Cultural Differences
Students may face many cultural differences when they visit overseas. In some aspects, there are huge cultural gaps in eastern and western countries. Many students may not be ready for these cultural differences. Informal relationships with college leaders & professors, co-ed dorms, and there may be many other things that students may find in American and European countries, which are not very common in Asian countries.
Moreover, if you have chosen to stay in shared student accommodation, then you may have to live with foreign roommates so you may need to understand their cultures to coordinate with them perfectly.
However, it is not an unmanageable problem and you can solve it easily. Understanding the country’s culture where you are going to stay is not a big deal. In a few days, you will understand many things through your experience. But, you should also do your own efforts. You can do some search on the internet even before shifting. Moreover, you can talk to your new friends from a new culture to understand it more.
Similarly, if you are living with roommates of some other cultures than your host country as well as your home country then you can talk to them to understand their cultures.
In the same way, you can find many social differences like the way Americans eat, and so on. This can be understood easily by observations.
Academic Challenges
Some academic challenges are also faced by international students when they go for studying abroad. Many international students may be unfamiliar with doing research and academic writing.
Moreover, there may be some challenges in the classroom discussions for students whose English is not spontaneous. Besides, if you are studying in a country where English is not a native language, such as France, Germany, etc. then you may not take part in the students’ discussion if they are going on in their native language.
Difficulty in Communication in Non-English Speaking Country
If you get enrolled in a country where English is not a native language such as France, Germany, etc. then you may have to face difficulty in communication. Sometimes, you may have to talk to locals who don’t know English, which becomes a challenge for you.
Financial Challenges
When you shift to your host city, you may not be aware of the prices there. Besides, since you were living with your parents till then, you may not have the experience of managing the expenses. In such a situation, you may face different types of financial challenges. Spending and saving money may be the subject of confusion for students when they start living overseas.
With the passage of time, you will start understanding all these aspects with your growing experience in the city and will be able to manage expenses. To make it easier for you, you can talk to your new friends in your host country, on-call staff in your accommodation complex, or any other people with whom you become acquainted.
Climate Change
It is a known fact that different countries have different climates. Therefore, when you visit your host city from your home country, you will come in a different climate. If you are from a warm country and you have got admission in a cold country then you may face this difficulty more.
So, it is highly advised to you to know about the climate conditions in your host country through internet searches and other sources in advance when you are in your home country. After checking that, you should keep the clothes and other assets according to that.
Moreover, you should also visit a doctor after regular intervals to get updates about your health conditions.
Different Time Zone
You may face this challenge for the first few days after you will shift to your host country. If you are coming to an American nation from an Asian country then you will especially face this challenge. It is because there are differences of 10 or 12 hours in these countries. So, you may face difficulty in getting adjusted according to them for the first few days.
But, once your body is adjusted according to that time zone, this difficulty will be solved.
Final Notes
The above-mentioned ones are some of the challenges that you will face while studying abroad. Besides, you may face some more challenges such as psychological difficulties, emotional challenges, etc. By giving some care, you can solve these challenges easily.