Tips And Tricks

Erasmus tips for your trip abroad

The idea of moving to another country for two months will always be a daunting idea in some ways for people. The prospect of being entirely independent without your family or friends beside you to help you whilst you’re there, is quite a scary one.

However, the sense of achievement that one feels when knowing that they have faced a large hurdle such as that, can be entirely rewarding in many different aspects.

However, to help guide you along your way into the Erasmus world and the world of study / study abroad, I have compiled some tips to help.

These opinions and tips are not vital and are more so subjective to my own experience. You an alter and manipulate these tips as you please, in order to suit your needs.

• Documentation – During the Erasmus application process and between Stage Malta and I, I found myself actually being much more organised with documentation than I would have expected to be. Never the less, I cannot stress how important is to keep on top of the documents and deadlines for documents prior to your arrival and upon your arrival into the country you are either studying or working in. I found that the best way to monitor this, is to make a timeline of deadline dates for each document and to tick them off as when I have met these deadlines. I would also invest in an organisational folder so that you can keep all documentation separate and organised. There is nothing than worse than trying to scour round your room trying to find your arrival document that needed to be signed a few days ago! So, every time someone gives you a document, make a copy for your parents to keep and then file a copy for yourself. Upon arriving to Malta, I needed to provide 3 documents so that I could receive my Erasmus funding. So, make sure that you talk to the right people and get the right signatures. You don’t want to have your University or agency chasing up any documents at the last minute.

• Plan your money – The best thing to manage your money is to research how much certain items cost on average in the country you are visiting. Before arriving here, I found that some of the products I purchased back home were more expensive here, which meant I had to budget a food shop more wisely than I typically would have to do back at home. I also ensured that I made an excel spreadsheet that detailed the amount of spending I was doing per week. On average, I spend around €80 per week. This comprises of; a food shop, travel, miscellaneous, weekend trips, toiletries and washing. This meant that I had to save around €800 Euros before coming here. So far, I have managed to stick to my budget and also allow for some extra treats here and there. You don’t need to be strict with money, just careful with it. You don’t want to come to the second-to-last week of your trip and find that you can’t even afford a tin of beans! Also, always allow for a contingency amount just in case. I saved another €100 on top just so that I had excess funds in case I needed them.

• Respect your house and your house mates – I have had a few problems this summer with the cleanliness of our household. There were frequent culprits who left the kitchen and bathrooms in a mess, which is not something that one wants to come home to after a long day at work. On most occasions I took it upon myself to clean up the mess, as I cannot stand to see a place untidy. However, this is not fair to do to your house mates as it can actually create a hostile environment for those living the house. Our group chat sometimes got quite heated as we were trying to derive whose mess was stinking-out the house. But obviously, nobody stepped forward and fessed-up to the dirt. If you find that this is the case, then there are a few things that you can do. The first thing is to always ensure that your dishes and spaces are clean, so you know that it will not be your mess and therefore cannot be blamed. Create a rota of cleaning so that the house will always be tidy. This is what we did in our household where every day, after everyone had cleaned their individual pots and pans etc. two people would give the kitchen and bathroom area a wipe down and dispose of any rubbish accordingly. But, to no surprise, this rota was very rarely upheld, so even this logical way of thinking didn’t seem to quite work for everyone! If you feel that the untidiness has become too much, then you can always report it to whoever is looking after you during your stay abroad. This is extreme measures, as normally many people do eventually clean up their mess.

• Take a home comfort – Two months away from home is a long time and this is often the minimum amount that Erasmus students or interns are away for. So, take something with you that will remind you of home if you ever become home sick. It is natural to feel down and home sick at points during your stay, as the whole experience is overwhelming when you actually sit down and think about it. I personally took a photo of my family and friends with me and this provides me with some form of comfort. And, at the end of the day, your loved ones are just a phone call or Skype call away. Utilising FaceTime and Skype is a great way to keep in touch with your family and its different to the typical phonecall as you can see your family and friends.

• Maintain your health – A good diet and some form of exercise whilst away can prove to be more beneficial than one may realise. I have found that the long working days are not helped by eating bad food, as this can affect your sleeping and energy levels. So, I have always made sure that I eat my 5-a-day of fruit and vegetables and drink as much water as possible. I suffer quite badly from insomnia which means that any sleep I am able to get, I cherish it as much as I can. However, it also means that my energy levels can often be very low, and I am often run down. However, since being in a routine in Malta I have found that I am sleeping much more soundly and am able to wean myself slightly off my sleeping tablets. I also like to walk to and from work so that I am getting some form of exercise into my daily routine. I have found this to really help with my sleeping as well as my diet and I feel much better from doing so. There will be a substantial amount of alcohol involved in your trip, which can often make a takeaway seem very appealing. In moderation this can be done, however, I would not recommend living off this food as it will make you sluggish and tired. I have never been one to preach about good health, but this experience has been eye opening for me in the sense that I am much more health aware.

• Friendships – You will make some friends for life during your time abroad. I know I have. However, if you are not a very confident or outgoing person, then this might seem like a distant dream that you will make such close bonds. However, I have experienced a lot of different personalities here and they have all been ones that I have been able to bond with and communicate with. I myself am quite an outgoing person and like to make conversation with people, but the main thing is to be empathetic to those who may not be as outgoing as yourself and wean them into activities and social events. Do not be forceful and allow the people to also come to you. Friendships are like elastic bands and if you pull too hard then the band will snap.

• Be respectful of the culture – One of the biggest shocks that one will experience when moving to another country is the difference in culture to that of your own. However, this is something that has to be embraced and you must be respectful of the local people who welcome you into their culture and way of life. There are many customs and ways in Malta that I do not personally agree with or like, but you have to embrace them and work with them and not against them. For instance, Maltese people when waiting for the bus, do not really understand the concept of a queue. However, you have to know that these people have had to lead these hectic lives on a bus as a means of being able to get home. Granted it is not the right thing, but it is what they do. Malta also has a big religious presence, being that a lot of the island is home to churches and cathedrals. If one decides to visit a religious building such as this, then be respectful of what visitors must do when entering. It is best to research what one can and cannot where when entering these buildings and the manner that one should act in. You don’t want to be the person who the locals discuss under their breath.

• Be punctual – Anything that requires you to be somewhere at a specific time that has been set by your host university or workplace, must be abided by and understood. My typical work schedule is 8am-5pm. Some people do show up at 9am to start their day, however, this is not the impression that I want to leave with the company who have taken me under their wing, so it is always best to be punctual. Punctuality is something that I know many people to struggle with, so getting into the habit of a routine whilst studying or working abroad will benefit you in more ways than you realise.

• Have fun! – Studying and working abroad can be pretty tiresome. But at the end of it all, you don’t want to say that all you did whilst you were in a foreign country was coming home and watching television at the end of the work day. Always try and find a suitable time to leave the house and socialise. This will relieve any of the work week stress you might have experienced and will allow you to exert any annoyances you may be harbouring. Exploring your host country will also give you a greater cultural awareness and allow you to appreciate other local traditions and sights. It will also make for some great Instagram photos at the end of it all!