A letter to those in their first week of studying abroad,
Welcome to the life of a globe-trotter.
You did it. You pinned on the map; your ship has set away from the shore towards the big wild ocean. The best dream that could ever happen is coming true for you, from here on you will be a part of the exciting global current.
And you have it – the manual to manoeuvre and the support to tackle hurdles as and when they come.
But as you start to lose sight of the shore, you stagger a bit.
The first week abroad, miles away from home, is seized by a storm.
The storm of fear & self-doubt
All the ‘tips and tricks’, the ‘do’s and don’ts’, the possible problems that you may face and their most practical solutions, all your search that was supposed to aid you on this journey, none of it could prepare you for this.
You are unsure, lost in the vastness.
You feel a little dizzy, tired, lonely and homesick by the overwhelming newness of it all. There are mountain sized things you need to take care of, you need to settle in, get things done.
“Did I make the right choice by studying abroad? Should I have rather just stayed home?”
This is your first time.
And it’s okay to feel so.
These waters are new to you, these clouds are of a different culture, the time doesn’t fit right, the wind speaks a foreign tongue, and all that you have ever known you have left it behind.
You yearn for the comfort of the familiarity of home but you are too far to turn around.
It’s you & the world now.e
There is one thing you must know: It takes strength to experience the world. You came a long way to be where you are. You must trust yourself to go ahead.
Remember that there are others in a journey like yours, different paths but the same goal. You are not alone.
There is designated help to steer you out & forward.
And the storm will pass.
Because when you flow through this transition, when you dive full speed into the energy, when you open your heart to all kinds of experiences, you will win the storm.
You will learn to play with the waves, big and small; to speak its language. With time, you will master how to survive, how to trust the blues of the new sky, you will laugh at the inside jokes of the foreign wind.
You will learn to adjust your sails.
Your eyes will fill with clarity by each sunset and one day, when you stand alone amid the wide ocean, there will not be a trace of fear or self-doubt in your heart.
Instead, there will be adrenaline rushing through you that will help you navigate the toughest of storms with a firm hand on your steering wheel.
At that time, you will be proud of your strength, of your courage, for you will have come a long way. You will blend in with the winds.
That’s why this first week is most crucial
This is the time to do the tough work, save yourself hassle tomorrow. It is not to be wasted. You need to move beyond the worries because things will start falling into place soon..
Stepping out of your comfort and facing the unique challenges is the most valuable part of the experience.
For you are here now, your life has changed forever, there is no opportunity like this. And at the end, you will only regret the chances you didn’t take.
So, keep on keeping on.