How to adapt to a foreign country? | Kyrgyzstan Education Center

How to adapt to a foreign country?

Students who are studying abroad get a chance to explore and experience several things in an unusual environment. They also get to explore the different cultural backgrounds of other students from different countries. Living away from home could be hard. It could be a tough decision for someone to leave behind her/his family and friends in search of a better career. But to have a better life, one has to sacrifice and jump out of her/his comfort zone.

Living in a different place or a different country where you know no one, can be one of the toughest decisions you could ever make. Therefore, you need to adapt to several things in different ways. Here are some of the advice that might help you while you stay abroad.

Make new friends

Staying away from home in a different country without the surrounding of your family and friends could be a tough decision.

Yes, different people prefer to stick to their own needs and as much as possible to stay within their comfort zone.  Extrovert people could easily mingle with anyone and everyone, while the introvert might find the difficulty of mingling with the other people in their surroundings. Furthermore, whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, we would like to advise you to try not to draw your limit from making friends.

Hence, talking to new people and make new friends is very important to survive and to adapt to a different place. Socialize and enjoy your stay while you are abroad

Learn the local language

 “Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom.”- Roger Bacon

Knowing more than one language is a blessing. It takes you to different places, brings warmth and closeness to the people from different communities and your surroundings.

Though learning a new language takes time, never feel discouraged. In due time you will eventually learn and get used to speaking a particular language. Nevertheless, if you want to go abroad for your higher studies, we would advise you to learn the local language as much as you can before you travel abroad.

Learn as much language as you can from different communities and make your stay abroad worthwhile. 

Know the culture of the country

Of course, a different country has a different culture. There are also chances that one country has multiple cultures. Before you travel to a specific country, it is advised that you should study their culture. 

There are many ways to study about country-specific culture. You can read online through popular websites, or Newspapers or you can even get a book about the culture of that country. The more you know about the country, the easier it is for you to adapt to their culture and the easier it is for you to stay abroad.

Involve in different activities

Immerse yourself in learning the new culture. Know that student life is very much eventful and you will never get bored. Especially in a university, students have a different culture of their own to display. You can involve yourself in learning about different cultures from fellow students.

You can also pursue various extracurricular programs such as sports, arts, dancing, singing and any fitness program. All these activities have their own clubs and centers in the university. The presence of these clubs helps the students to get involved in various programs. This also helps the students become active in physically and mentally.

Explore many places

To live a comfortable lifestyle abroad, you have to let loose of yourself. Go out, visit as many places as you can. Explore the city and cherish what you experience.

There are many amazing places to visit, experience the beauty of the country. In your free time, you can visit various places such as museums, theaters, historical places, science centers, etc.

Get to know more about your host country while you are abroad. This would make it easier for you to connect and meet the local people.

Adapt to the country's local food

Food is the human's common ground, a universal experience. Food is the most important thing in human life. It is an ingredient that binds people together.

The countries of the world have different signature cuisines that they are famous for. For example, In India, different states establish different dishes that describes the community and its people. The same goes for the different countries of the world. 

Adapting to a completely different cuisine could be difficult. But to enjoy living in a different country, it requires someone to adapt to the lifestyle of the locals. If you are someone who doesn't like the change, especially when it comes to food, try to take one step at a time to change your habit of adapting things in a strange land.

Keep in touch with family and friends

The ones who can give you the comfort, strength and support you in various ways are your family and friends.

Connect to your family and friends often, never forget them. 

If you are abroad, it's obvious that you cannot directly call your family and friends through the direct normal call. However, the availability of online sources such as social media - WhatsApp/Facebook messenger/Instagram/email, etc., you can directly message/call/video call your family.

“Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent.” -Nolan Ryan