Life Abroad

At first thought, the task of preparing to begin life away from home can seem daunting, if not overwhelming. Being surrounded by an unfamiliar culture, environment and social norms, while being away from family and friends, is something which more and more Chinese students experience in the quest to gain a western education.

The following five steps may prove useful in assisting prospectiveoverseas students in their preparations to study overseas.

1.Get to know your new home before you land in it

There is no substitute for good preparation. Arm yourself with background knowledge by researching information about the country you are going to. Thanks to the Internet, most of this can be found at the click of a button.

If you are fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of a foreign native (from the country you wish to study in), be sure to ask them as many questions as possible on things such as good places to live, the cost of transport or important celebrations during the year. The information they provide would most likely not be published in any textbooks or tourist magazines.

2.Attitude is everything.

Don't underestimate the power of the mind in determining how events turn out. Decide how to approach any situation, before you are placed in it. Positive thoughts about your new circumstances and a positive attitude toward your new home and hosts will bring positive results.

Don't sabotage your chances at being happy and successful in your future study and new life before they have even started.

3.Pack using your head and your heart.

It's not easy being practical when deciding what to pack and there is always that temptation to bring cherished personal belongings such as books, letters or fluffy toys. Whatever you bring, make sure that is will be something that you think might help your chances of succeeding.

This includes practical items such as study materials, old class notes, favorite textbooks or pens and even the contact details of previous teachers.

4.Remember your roots.

Contact people you care about before and after. You are a person with feelings and relocating overseas is a big event. Talk to your close friends and family about your thoughts, dreams and fears for your new venture before you leave and make sure you keep in regular contact after you arrive and during your time away. Sharing the experience always halves any burdens and doubles the excitement of any achievements. Besides, with the ease and convenience of communicating via the Internet nowadays, there is no excuse not to keep in touch!

5.Take opportunities as they come.

Learn from all experiences. Value both your achievements and disappointments as learning experiences that can be applied to future situations in life. Value all positive outcomes and more importantly, don't take negative outcomes at face value. Instead, try to see the lessons in mistakes and turn them into opportunities for future improvement. Opportunities are present all the time, but often they go by unnoticed. Recognizing opportunities is a skill which anyone can learn through practice and patience.