The first time we moved abroad from Mexico (for R) and Colombia (for M) at the ripe age of 8 and 14 respectively, it wasn’t our choice. We were going with our family because of our parent’s job and we have been traveling ever since. But after high school we both decided to move and study elsewhere, so we want to share with you why we moved abroad from our abroad and hopefully inspire you study or live abroad at least once.
Of course we love our families and countries, but moving to a new place after high school just seem too good of an opportunity not to take it. I mean, who doesn’t want to live by themselves in a different country at 17, right?
By some coincidence of the universe we both chose Paris as our destination. We went to the same university and that is how we met. Both the Latino factor and friends brought us together.
We had different reasons as to why France. For R it was the language, since he is interested in international relations and French along with English is the official language for a diplomatic career. For me it was more of a “I have to see France with my own eyes”, since my mom is a french teacher and I had always been somewhat submerged in the culture.
After living in Paris for 5 years and having experienced so many things, we feel confident to share with you why moving abroad or studying abroad in your 20’s (or at any age) is one of the best decisions you will ever make.
Living or studying abroad expands your horizons, literally
Yes, you are in a different part of the world but you will also meet so many people from everywhere! One of the best things about meeting people in an international setting is that you learn about their culture just by spending time with them.
Now some of our best friends are from Finland, Indonesia, the U.S. and France (YAY for free accommodation when traveling haha!). By being “alone” we all came together and created bonds we could have never had created at home, in a way they became our extended family. We feel like we carry a bit of them and their culture wherever we go.
No routine, no commitment
Chances are that during your 20’s you might not have a routine set in stone making you more flexible and willing to accommodate. This is a great advantage because you will be able to acclimate faster and things won’t be as shocking since you will assume it’s part of the change. Part of studying abroad is facing new challenges.
Eventually you will be buying baguettes after work on your way home so you can eat it with hummus and a cheese wheel while watching wildlife shows in french on cable TV(not that we did that or anything).
You will be able to travel more!
This one is probably the best part about studying abroad. As a student you have tons of vacations, long weekends, reading days, etc. So you can take those and explore a new city or country! We are aware that we got lucky by being in Europe where low cost airlines fly to almost every city and if not, there are buses that connect all the cities. But places like Asia or the U.S also have similar deals, if you are organized prices will be more than decent.
The food…
We are the biggest, self-proclaimed food enthusiasts in the world, but as students our budget is tight, so what did we do? We learned how to cook! This is honestly one of our favorite activities with friends. We are convinced that the best way to learn about a culture is through its food/kitchen, so ask your new friends to make you their favorite meal! You can go to look for the ingredients (this is a whole experience by itself) and make the food together. Stories and anecdotes will come out and we guarantee you will have a great time— ideally accompanied by a bottle of côtes du rhône!
indonesian food 
french «cheese» table
You will most likely learn a new language
Not only because you are in a different country and you need to communicate, but also because being surrounded by other nationalities and people will inspire you. Even if it is how to say “hello” or “where is the bathroom” in 5 different languages! Now we both speak french, some italian and have a tourist’s vocabulary in indonesian haha!
You will most likely graduate without debt
This one is really important and not many people realize it. In Europe most of the top schools are public, which means you pay little to nothing for your education. For example, I paid my last year of university with the money I saved from babysitting! Honestly, graduating without debt is a HUGE relief, since you don’t have the pressure to find a job right away in order to pay it off. Now, there are private schools too but most are still cheaper than schools in the U.S.
You will also get extra points on your C.V for studying abroad.
If we haven’t convinced you yet…
You will probably find your life partner. It will probably be another crazy person that left everything behind to see what is out there and shares some interest with you. And if not, you will definitely have great stories about a “lost in translation moment” and at least one Australian haha!
Now…
We have to admit that it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, but the pros outweigh the not so good moments (we wouldn’t even call them bad). You will feel frustrated at the immigration office when you have been there 3 times and they still won’t help you find the form that is already open on their computer.
You will also miss your family and friends, specially when it’s someone’s birthday and you are not there to celebrate. Or you will wish they were with you to share all the new experiences.
But HEY! When they visit you will have so many things to share and you will open THEIR world too. You will be able to take them to your favorite park, teach them “tourist vocabulary”, experience the culinary delights of the place you are at and introduce them to your new community of friends.
We wouldn’t change life abroad for anything, so much so, that after graduating university we moved to Madrid and started again from zero. Now we know how to deal with the frustration and the feeling of being lost all the time and that is O.K.
We understand this might not be appealing to everyone, but we hope to inspire you to take the chance! Everyone should live or study abroad at least once. It doesn’t need to be far or a place where they speak a different language. Who knows, you might like it. If you don’t, you can always go back home (wherever that might be for you) with experiences and adventures under your belt.
Check our instagram to see what we get up to and our daily lives while studying abroad. Send us a message if you have any questions, we would be more than happy to help.
