This may seem like common sense to some, but it is vital to the study abroad experience to be open to other people. Whether you are in a program with other students you already know, a program with other students you didn’t know before, or a program where you are solo, your study abroad experience is largely shaped by the people you find there to spend your time with. As you are abroad, you most likely will not know many of the people there, if any. Because you are away from your family and friends in the US, it is necessary to find people abroad that you can connect and relate with. That person can be someone else living in the same apartment or homestay as you or someone from your school/classes. Since I have been abroad, I quickly learned that I needed to have a very open mindset regarding meeting new people. This month, for example, I am living with approximately ten other people in an apartment in Spain. We have students from the US, Germany, the UK, and Czechia. With so many different backgrounds of points of view, it can be difficult at times to relate to some of the other people. What I have found is that to be able to be open to new people from unfamiliar backgrounds in unfamiliar places, you must be willing to listen, to discuss, and to let go of. For example, the humor style of some other countries does not translate well to American humor. Rather than being frustrated if you don’t understand, be comfortable asking questions or just laughing it off. Topics that may or may not be acceptable to speak about in the US may not be the same elsewhere. Because of these differences that can be confusing, it is important to be open to listen to those around you as well as speak with them and ask questions. It is greatly helpful to let go of the stress of trying to understand every little detail or joke and just enjoy learning from new people.
