Things that will change when you study in Australia
Moving anywhere away from home will always be a challenge, but if you leave your own country to study in Australia, you are even braver. Getting out of your comfort zone is the best decision you can ever make, we encourage you to do so!
However, you have to keep in mind that no matter how much you try to keep everything as it was, there will be many things that will change in your life, among them and the most important: yourself. Here we are going to leave you a list of the 7 things that are indisputable for us, whether you study in Australia, Canada, Ireland or Japan.
Friends
Take this trip as a new opportunity. Meeting people from the vital moment in which you find yourself right now will make you find friends with whom you will really connect, you will have even more things in common and, surely, you will discover many things together.
Also, being away from your friends will make you value them more. Knowing who has kept in touch with you and who hasn't will help you to be more selective. So, when you come back, you will appreciate each one of them and every moment you spend together much more.
Language
As much as you think you're fluent in English, living in a country where no one knows how to pronounce your name correctly is a major challenge. Also, the Australian accent in particular is tricky, not because it's impossible to understand. We are not used to hearing it because most movies and series are English or North American. Australian actors and actresses neutralize their accents and Australian music doesn't have much influence in the rest of the world. That's why when we get here, we have a hard time understanding the accent at first.
Sometimes you need to pretend you understand, "fake it till you make it" as they would say. The best approach (at least for us) is to learn the language as fast as you can. Here, you can get useful tips about studying English in Australia.
Loneliness
Prepare to feel a little lonely and even homesick from time to time. But don't let these feelings get too deep. When you feel alone try to remember why you are here. Maybe you dreamed of living abroad, it's easy to forget why, but that's your driving force for this journey.
Feeling nostalgic? He tries not to think about what is happening in his home country. Being too melancholic does not help, quite the opposite.
The best way to fight loneliness is to get out and meet new people. Is there something you've always wanted to try but never had "enough time" for it? This is the perfect time to try it!
Family
As with friends, there will be things that will change, relationships that will be transformed, etc. But make no mistake, just because you can't always be physically present doesn't mean your family will forget about you or you about them. Sometimes it's more important to send a text wishing your sister good luck before an exam than to be home for dinner that day.
It is perhaps the hardest of all farewells before leaving, so we advise you to take your time, enjoy with your family as if it were the last time you see them and most importantly, show how much you love them.
Value anything that comes from your country
Although nowadays we can order almost anything online, receiving a package from home is almost better than any birthday gift. Of course, everything in that box should contain food and drinks that are not for sale in your country, and souvenirs or clothes that you left behind but have realized you need in your new home.
At this point, you'll also have to choose a strategy regarding the package: either gobble it all at once and leave no trace, or become a master rationer who works magic with expiration dates to make everything last as long as possible. be necessary. Both options are possible.
The feeling of guilt
Do you remember the look on your mother's face when she found out that you couldn't make it home for dinner with your aunt? Well, imagine the face she's going to make when you tell her you're not going to come home for Christmas, because with the new air restrictions, or the road trip you had planned, you don't remember the dates...
Surely you feel guilty and although in most cases you are not, this feeling will help you take time to prepare for the next visit.
Accept that life goes on
Show must go on as Freddie said. That's right, you will miss weddings, baptisms, communions, requests from your best friends, impressive parties and the birth of a baby.
You will probably miss a lot and only see very specific moments on social media. It is very difficult to accept (in fact, some of us have not accepted it yet) but you cannot live on two continents 9 hours apart at the same time, it is simply impossible). Focus on enjoying your now and relax. When you return you will have all the time in the world to listen to them relive the experiences in which you could not be present.
In the end, it is difficult to answer the question of where you live, where you are from, or where your home is, because your home is where you are. Where you are happy and where you are comfortable and feel safe. Regardless of who you live with, where or what you do. Sometimes home is where you spent your childhood, where you were very happy or where you lived the most exciting journey of your life. You decide that.
