When you’re in high school, you can’t help but wonder about how your life is going to look like after you graduate. You think about which path you’re going to take, if you’re going to go to college, maybe start up a business, or even take a year off.
In my case, I was very eager to be done with high school. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do afterwards, all I knew is that I wanted to get out of there, move away onto the next chapter.
Among many things I’ve faced during this experience, one of them was a cultural shock.
You have to know that being an international student, as exciting and thrilling as it is, you’re still bound to face an episode of cultural shock, no matter how prepared you think you’d be. It’s normal to feel a little out of place when you’ve just moved, it’s actually an important part of the whole experience.
Coming from a completely different background, speaking a different language, really makes it challenging to blend in. Especially if you’re an introvert like myself, you find it quite difficult to go over, say hi and ask if you could join for lunch. The truth is that it takes a lot of effort to build a good friendship when you’re living abroad. Having this sudden change of scenery, for me, came with loads of lessons to learn and prices to pay. One of them is that, in order to become independent, you’d have to be okay with being by yourself. I know it sounds lonely, and believe me after tons of weekend blues, I can assure you it gets really sad. But then you get to grow as a person, create your own routine, figure out new habits and hobbies, and just live your life on your own terms.
On a more positive note, whenever someone asks me where I come from, I always get excited and blurt right away that I’m Egyptian. Oh, how I love the reactions I get for that statement. It’s always like “Oh that’s so cool! Do you speak hieroglyph?” or “Wow you do look like an Egyptian” and my personal favorite “Are there any cars in Egypt? It must be exhausting having to ride on camels all the time”. I love it. It’s fun to explain your culture to other people and have them tell you about their own, and then end up having one juicy cultural conversation. Another way to expand your cultural horizon is traveling. Honestly, for me that’s one of the perks of moving to Europe. I get to jump on a train and explore what that continent has to offer. I got to eat waffles in Brussels, buy mustard from Dijon, visit the beautiful Notre-Dame of Strasbourg, and of course roam the busy streets of Paris. Also, one thing I never miss the chance to brag about is that, in that very city, Paris, I got to see Harry Styles preforming live.
Now let’s talk about the real deal, the one that scares people away from taking such a huge step. Homesickness. It’s inevitable to miss your loved ones when you’re living abroad, especially on holidays. Having to spend these occasions on your own might make you feel extra emotional. As a reaction, you find yourself inventing your own traditions. During the month of Ramadan for example, I tried to cook the homey food that I would eat with my family during that period, and break my fast with people who are also spending the month away from their families.
There are over 1.4 million foreign students living in Europe, whom all come from different backgrounds, and all have their own way of experiencing this journey.
Word of advice: don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, and take advantage of this fascinating adventure you get to live. You only get one life, so make sure to live it to the fullest.
By Aïda Zaher
To go further, on our May file dedicated to migrations, you can read our Society and International Relations sections' articles on our blog.
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