Year Abroad Blues

Paige shares her tips for keeping the international experience alive when you return from your year abroad.

- Paige

A year abroad is an experience that seems to end as quickly as it started. When it draws to a close, it�s most likely you�ll be wondering why you were so apprehensive nine months earlier. Yes, in the same amount of time it takes to carry a baby to full term, you�ve given birth to a whole range of life-changing and unforgettable experiences. You�ve survived speaking Spanish or French every day, detoxed from not being allowed to drink alcohol in the USA, and accepted that supermarkets just don�t open on Sundays in Germany. And there lies the kicker: just as you�ve immersed yourself in living in a different country and culture, it�s time to head back to your rainy British university town for final year. Salamanca will be swapped for Sheffield, Los Angeles for Leeds, and Melbourne for Manchester.

Though nothing beats being back with your old friends, there�s no doubt you feel like you�ve left a part of yourself behind in your year abroad destination. All you want to do is talk about the experience, but your mates just aren�t interested in hearing the story about how you hitchhiked through Tel Aviv for the hundredth time. It may not be immediately obvious but living in a different country for a year has changed you; and, it�s very likely, the place you came accustomed to calling �home� when you moved to university just doesn�t feel that way any longer.

There are, however, steps you can take to keep the international experience alive when you move back to the UK. We�ve compiled a list of how you can �continue� your year abroad back home � even if it does mean having to juggle things alongside your finals!

1. Visit your international friends

One of the best things about being on a year abroad is the friends you make from all over the world. Unfortunately, being able to visit them in their home countries depends a lot on where they are based. If you engaged in an Erasmus exchange and made friends in Europe, visiting them will obviously be easier than if you studied further afield. Airlines offer low cost travel to a variety of European destinations, and if you have the option of staying with your international friend, it will make the trip even cheaper! Being able to visit your friends will rekindle those memories you shared together when studying abroad and, if you�re a linguist, will offer a great opportunity to practise your second language. Of course, you can always encourage your friends to visit you in the UK, at your home or university town!

2. Take cheap weekend breaks

Even if it�s too difficult to visit your friends in their home country, there is always the option to meet somewhere else for a weekend. Or, if you fancy a trip on your own, travelling to a new destination can give you that same rush of wanderlust you had when you first moved abroad. Taking a short and cheap holiday will break up the monotonous pace of the semester and will give you something to aim for once you�ve handed your assignments in.

No matter how close to the UK you travel, always take out travel insurance to ensure you�re covered for costs in case of injury abroad. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has more advice on what you should cover with travel insurance here. Also use the FCO�s website to check for updates on travel safety. They have a directory of every country in the world with live travel updates here. If the FCO advises against travel to a certain country, don�t be tempted to go �  no matter how cheap the trip is!

3. Join your university�s Erasmus and Year Abroad societies

If your university offers year abroad opportunities, then it�s almost certain that they will have a society dedicated to welcoming incoming international students. Joining these societies offers a fantastic way to make even more international friends (which means even more places to visit at a later point). It will also offer a rewarding experience of making an international student feel welcome at your university � you could even offer to show them all of your favourite sights in town. Think of the help you were/would have been grateful for at your destination and aim to replicate it. The society will normally be run by fellow students at your university who�ve been on exchange years. If your normal circle of friends has grown tired of your ramblings, you can meet with students who have more understanding as to why you miss your year abroad so much!

4. Learn a new language

Bring a slice of the world into your own home! Learning a second language has never been easier thanks to apps such as DuoLingo. If you�ve grown accustomed to the international lifestyle, speaking a second language will also greatly increase your chances of securing employment abroad. It will also help you to decide on further destinations you�d like to visit in the future to test your language skills. Which brings us onto our next point�

5. Connect with an international pen pal

DuoLingo offers groups you can join to practise languages with fellow users. There are also a variety of pen pal websites to be found online. Connecting with a native speaker will be invaluable to improving your language skills. It will also offer the opportunity to create even more friendships overseas!

I am a final year undergraduate at the University of Birmingham studying Philosophy. I spent my third year studying in University College Dublin, Ireland and really enjoyed every second of it! I now want to help other undergraduates consider taking a year abroad as part of their studies and as part of this.

Planning My Way Across the World

Chelsea shares her tips to help loosen the anxiety when travelling the world.

- Chelsea Smith

Don�t get me wrong, I love travelling. I love the freedom, the exploration and immersion of all your senses into something new. But then as I lie in bed the night before a flight I have that niggling feeling of anxiety. I�m about to fly however many miles away; away from what I know, away from the only language I speak fluently, to somewhere where anything could happen. Then my head is circling in a series of what ifs, and I don�t get any sleep the night before my flight to however many miles away.

Specifically, this was me the night before I flew out to Mexico. It was my first truly international trip, outside my safe confines of Europe where I could be home in a couple of hours if anything went wrong. Since then I�ve learnt how to loosen the anxiety the night before and leading up to a trip away.

For me, a mixture of things has helped. I do really enjoy yoga and have found it has helped a lot with my stress in general, but before a trip I do tend to end up on the mat a lot more. The control I have over myself whilst in a yoga flow and the breathing techniques taught within yoga help remind me that I am in control. No matter what could happen however many miles away, I will be able to deal with it, breathing in and out.

As well as this, planning and researching my trips has helped me to feel more excited than anxious about stepping off the plane however many miles away. Looking into the culture and appropriate clothing to be worn in Uganda made me feel more comfortable and confident that I was packing suitably for my volunteer trip to Kampala and more rural areas of Uganda. Knowing I had a backpack full of clothes that would help me blend in and not stick out like a sore thumb � or worse, offend someone � reassured my anxious self into having a better night�s sleep.

Sometimes I find myself getting a little worried whilst I�m away as well, specifically the night before I do something adventurous, outside my comfort zone. The night before I was set to go out and try white water rafting for this first time, it�s fair to say I tossed and turned a little. However, it was a great comfort that I�d looked into the company I was rafting with before I arrived; I was confident with their reviews and they were a reputable group of people to go head first into the water with. This, coupled with my comprehensive insurance, acted as a blanket of reassurance that relieved most of my anxiety.

Everyone is different, and this may not work for everyone, but when you love to travel you don�t want to let your anxiety get in the way. Finding techniques like this, that work for you, can really help transform your travel experience into a more stress free and enjoyable experience.

Hi, I'm Chelsea a third-year Geography student at the University of Southampton. I'm currently an FCO student ambassador and Travel Editor, finding relaxation through writing.

How to Survive Your Year Abroad as a Chronic Worrier

Rosie shares her tips on how to survive your year abroad as a chronic worrier.

- Rosie Wright

A year abroad can be a very stressful time for anyone. You are moving to a new place with new people, and a language which isn�t your own. Being a chronic worrier like myself, this could completely freak you out. However, if you follow these simple steps, you can keep the worrying at bay and enjoy this very exciting time in your life:

Plan, plan, plan: as soon as you know where you are going, look for accommodation. Seek out the best coffee shops, the best bars, the best places to eat. Look up the public transport and work out your route to work/university � you can even take a walk around the streets on Google Maps. Once you get accustomed to the place you are going to live, you will start to relax and be able to enjoy the experience.

Keep busy/give yourself distractions: to set your mind at ease and get out of your own head the best thing to do is keep busy. Make plans with friends, flatmates or other new people you have met. Get your friends from home to come visit, and you can be their very own tour guide. Invite your mum for the weekend and get her to bring some home comforts (PG Tips and chocolate fingers basically saw me through my stint in Leipzig � you�re the best, Mum!). Doing new things with a familiar face is incredibly comforting, but exploring your new home with new faces can be exciting too.

Get a feel for the place: go on walks and check out new places. Go and visit all the coffee shops you found online at home. Try out different restaurants or even takeaways. Find some favourite spots so that you know you will have safe havens around the city should you start to feel nervous. Seek out the nearest homeware shop (if you find a Primark you are on to a winner!) so you can make your room yours. You�ll feel instantly more comfortable and less worried with a cosy room and a feel for your new city.

Having a routine: this one is important. Get up at the same time each day, and make sure to have an indulgent and stress free morning so that you are not worrying before you even get out the front door! You could even fit in some exercise if you are feeling adventurous. Make sure you know what you are going to eat, and that you have some meals planned you will look forward to. Try to go to bed at a similar time every day too, and make sure you feel comfortable in your room, so you can sleep. If you are also scared of the dark � like me, at the ridiculous age of 23 � get some cute fairy lights or a night light to ensure you get off to sleep easily.

Have someone to turn to: whether it�s your mum, your grandad, your best friend or your dog via Facetime, it�s important to have someone there to listen when it all gets too much, even if it�s just ringing your mum, or going round to a friend�s flat who also lives in the area. You never know when you�ll need someone to talk to and calm you down, so knowing there is one person (or more than one if you are lucky like I was!) you can rely on no matter what will set your mind at ease. Even if it�s just having them send you dog memes, having them on the other end of the phone is incredibly soothing.

Try to make the most of your year abroad despite your worries and most importantly � have fun! This is a once in a lifetime experience to pack up and move somewhere exciting, and one you will look back on fondly later in life!

Hi, I'm Rosie and I'm a final year German student at the University of Manchester. Having suffered with mental health issues throughout University and especially on year abroad, I wanted to speak up and break the stigma surrounding mental health.

5 simple ways to minimise anxiety when travelling abroad alone

Charlotte blogs about ways you can reduce anxiety during a year abroad. 

- Charlotte Day

More and more students are enrolling on university courses which include a year abroad � whether that�s a BA French and German, or an BSc Physics. Summer work in a foreign country is also gaining in popularity with jobs such as au pairing in Spain being just an online application away. Although visiting a foreign nation on your own can be a great way to see more of the world, improve foreign language skills, and aid personal development, it can be a pretty tough experience for those who suffer from anxiety. The prospect of finding yourself in a vulnerable, uncomfortable or compromising situation with no friends or family around us for reassurance can be all too daunting.

Here are 5 simple ways to help try to tackle those anxious feelings:

1. Spend some time researching your destination before you leave.

In the comfort of your own home, research the location where you will be staying. Finding out information such as where the local supermarket, caf�s and police station are will help to minimise the uncertainty and stress of the first few days. Also, be sure to have a look over the local laws and customs of your destination to avoid getting into any difficult, yet avoidable, situations � some places have some laws that may seem rather odd to us!

2. Utilise the wonders that are FaceTime and Skype.

Being able to see and hear the familiar face of a friend or family member will certainly help to take your mind off any feelings of loneliness. Even if it�s just a quick 5-minute chat to someone when you�re feeling a bit low, it will likely put you in a positive mind set for the rest of the day.

3. Try not to be afraid of making new friends.

Wherever you�re visiting, there are likely to be other people your age there too. Although perhaps a little easier said than done, you could head to a local bar and try to strike up conversation with some locals. Do be careful if you�re going out alone, and follow the FCO�s recommendations for travelling alone at all times. You may even encounter somebody else visiting the area who is in the same situation as you � many people meet life-long friends whilst travelling! Plus, staying with a group of people makes you less vulnerable to danger than wandering around alone.

4. If you don�t speak the local language fluently, take a phrase book with you.

A phrase book is invaluable for most travellers and will certainly help tackle any anxiety about not being able to be understood. Most phrase books tell you how to pronounce the words and some also have pictures of amenities such as hospitals so you don�t even have to attempt to make yourself understood linguistically � you can just point at where you need directions to!

5. Get enough sleep!

The adrenaline of being in a foreign location can make you feel like you don�t need much sleep, but it�s so important to try to get at least 8 hours a night from day 1. Even if you feel jet-lagged for the first few days, try to adjust to the time zone and get into a regular sleep pattern � tiredness will intensify your stress levels. Take a good book with you to read before bed, it will calm you down and help send you to sleep.

Visiting new places on our own when you suffer from anxiety can be an intense experience, but these simple tricks will help you make the most out of your time away. Happy travelling!

For our Student Minds guide to a Year Abroad for yourself or a friend, click here.

Hey, I'm Charlotte and I'm a second year student at Univeristy College London. I'm writing for Student Minds to open up the conversation and raise awareness about mental health.