The Pros to Living and Studying Abroad.
The end of this June I will have been in Vienna for officially one year. With almost 1 year under my belt as a Expat I wanted to share the positives about being thousands away from anything familiar.
When you become an expat not only are you starting your life all over again but it also makes you find or see who you really are. It pulls away the facades and shows you your true self. I have found that when you grow up in the same area and have the same friends for years those friends and also your family define who you are. They tell you what is normal for you, they know you in a certain way that confines you even if you don't realise it is or even if you like what they see you as. But when you decided that no matter how many friends you have and for whatever reason it might be but leave that comfort zone nobody is giving you those bumpers like in bowling alley. No one is telling you what defines you, who you are. You have two choices when you step off that plane into an unknown land. You can either really start to see all the scars, bumbs, moles that define you and change it dramatically or keep everything just as it is. Now I believe a person should love who they are and not let other people tell them how they should look, but what I am talking about is being able to see the flaws and working on it. When I came to Vienna I did not see myself as I do now. After talking to many people from all over and becoming really interested in other cultures I then realized how small minded I had been and how sheltered I was. I have become much more open minded than I ever was. Being an expat just does that. You can either cling onto who you believe you are until you start to slowly let go.
Now I am not talking about becoming a druggie or anything that can or will harm you, but I think you catch my drift.
Meeting people from all over the world is a wonderful part about living abroad in such a large city. I can not start describing other than German what I have learned. I not only have been immeresed in the Austrian culture but also others as well. I have learned from classmates from Iran that the thumbs-up you would give to a person in the States signing ''O.K'', ''GOOD'' or ''GREAT'' is the equivalent to the middle finger! Also I have learned how to make empanadas, arepas, banana coconut cake, and Azerbaijani typical cuisine.
I have found living in Vienna I have been living a healthier lifestyle. I tend not to buy processed foods, I do my best to eat lots of fruits and veggies. I have kept a very low meat intake as well since I have been here.
Vienna also has to offer wonderful parks, and sights to see. When living abroad no matter where there is always something new to go and see, that is what makes living abroad enjoyable.
Living in central Europe has the benefit of the places that were only fantasy vacation spots are so close in reach and bus, trains, and even planes are not expensive. Being able to travel in Europe and having it at access whenever I want has been a dream since I was a child. I now try to focus on where and what I want to see first and travel as much as my bank account and holidays let me.
Well, I think for me that are the pros that stand out about living and studying abroad.
When you become an expat not only are you starting your life all over again but it also makes you find or see who you really are. It pulls away the facades and shows you your true self. I have found that when you grow up in the same area and have the same friends for years those friends and also your family define who you are. They tell you what is normal for you, they know you in a certain way that confines you even if you don't realise it is or even if you like what they see you as. But when you decided that no matter how many friends you have and for whatever reason it might be but leave that comfort zone nobody is giving you those bumpers like in bowling alley. No one is telling you what defines you, who you are. You have two choices when you step off that plane into an unknown land. You can either really start to see all the scars, bumbs, moles that define you and change it dramatically or keep everything just as it is. Now I believe a person should love who they are and not let other people tell them how they should look, but what I am talking about is being able to see the flaws and working on it. When I came to Vienna I did not see myself as I do now. After talking to many people from all over and becoming really interested in other cultures I then realized how small minded I had been and how sheltered I was. I have become much more open minded than I ever was. Being an expat just does that. You can either cling onto who you believe you are until you start to slowly let go.
Now I am not talking about becoming a druggie or anything that can or will harm you, but I think you catch my drift.
Meeting people from all over the world is a wonderful part about living abroad in such a large city. I can not start describing other than German what I have learned. I not only have been immeresed in the Austrian culture but also others as well. I have learned from classmates from Iran that the thumbs-up you would give to a person in the States signing ''O.K'', ''GOOD'' or ''GREAT'' is the equivalent to the middle finger! Also I have learned how to make empanadas, arepas, banana coconut cake, and Azerbaijani typical cuisine.
I have found living in Vienna I have been living a healthier lifestyle. I tend not to buy processed foods, I do my best to eat lots of fruits and veggies. I have kept a very low meat intake as well since I have been here.
Vienna also has to offer wonderful parks, and sights to see. When living abroad no matter where there is always something new to go and see, that is what makes living abroad enjoyable.
Living in central Europe has the benefit of the places that were only fantasy vacation spots are so close in reach and bus, trains, and even planes are not expensive. Being able to travel in Europe and having it at access whenever I want has been a dream since I was a child. I now try to focus on where and what I want to see first and travel as much as my bank account and holidays let me.
Well, I think for me that are the pros that stand out about living and studying abroad.
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