Edition 4: Creating a Home Away From Home – Year Abroad Edition
An integrated part of the language degree, the Year Abroad invites linguists to move to a new country to practice their skills. By immersing yourself in the culture and society,
the hope is that you develop a new appreciation for the language you are studying. The daunting part of this experience, however, is moving away from home and acclimating to
a new environment. This edition will explore the experiences of some linguists who are currently on their year abroad or who will embark on it very soon – it features a series of photos and reflections to showcase that you can create a home away from home.
Preparing for your year abroad – Samira (Nantes, France)
Make a list of the activities you’d like to do on your year abroad! This list could include visiting pretty landmarks! Research specific places you’d like to visit in the city you’re going to or even other places if you want to travel around from time to time.
Find out if there’s a local university! Universities often have events that many people attend, so going to them would be a great way to meet new people and practise your language skills!
Work on your cooking skills! Whilst you’re abroad, you’ll have a bit more time on your hands, so why not spend some of that time trying out new recipes? I certainly will and I’ll try to get a head-start on that over the long vacation!
Watch loads of films and shows in the target language! I find that cartoons are always fun to watch, and they’re a great way to improve your receptive understanding of a language! I also find that repeating what the characters on these shows say can also be helpful to get a gist of how words are pronounced, which is useful when you encounter unfamiliar words.
Check that you have both a valid passport and visa! Some countries require visas to study and work there, so make sure you’ve sorted that out in advance. You’ll need to check online when you should start applying for a visa for the country you’re going to.
HEALTH INSURANCE! I recommend getting an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) or GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) if you don’t have one already! Ideally getting injured or falling ill abroad wouldn’t be ideal, but health insurance will have any emergencies covered. Also, go to your doctor for a physical examination before you travel, just to see if everything is okay.
It depends on the country you’re travelling to but do check if you need any vaccinations!
Travel Insurance!! If your flight gets delayed or cancelled, or you lose any luggage, you’d definitely want coverage for that!
Make sure you find a good way to stay in contact with friends and/or family while abroad. Some U.K. providers may not work abroad, so you might need to purchase an international roaming pack of some kind. Talking to your phone provider or searching online would be a good way to find out what you’ll need for your travels.
Do your research of the place you’re going to! This links to the first piece of advice, but look at the transport systems available, and possible railcards (often using them can be cheaper than constantly buying tickets).
My Year Abroad - By Tabitha
The Year Abroad has been the part of my degree I’ve been looking forward to the most since before I’d even fully decided on my course. 7 months in, I can safely say it has not only met but surpassed my expectations. I have been in Paraguay, first working with various churches and community groups and now teaching English. Out here, I’ve made friends for life, grown in independence and enjoyed a whole new culture and way of life, all alongside honing my Spanish abilities. I’ve enjoyed documenting the journey with journals, vlogs on YouTube and LOTS of photos, which I would also recommend.
For anyone embarking on their year abroad, my main advice would be: Immerse yourself. Get involved in everything you can. Maximise your time away. Have a rough idea of what you’re doing but be ready to go off piste as new opportunities arise. Don’t just surround yourself with English speakers; your language and cultural development will suffer. That said, it is nice to have fellow students/English speakers around too. Speaking another language 24/7 can actually give you headaches at first lool. Be prepared to face yourself. Miles away from friends and family, you have the time to reflect, revive and reinvent, a process that can also occur without you even realising by being faced with so many new inputs. Trust God. Call home. Embrace the unknown. The year abroad serves as a beautiful reminder of the world outside of Oxford, the UK, or even, if you so choose the Western world. It opens your eyes and broadens your scope if you allow it to. Get the paperwork done as soon as possible, secure funding, insurance etc but most importantly, have fun. A wonderful adventure awaits.
Germany in 15 photos by Savannah
