Studying abroad can open up a wealth of opportunities and new experiences, but making the jump can be daunting. And for prospective students planning their futures, employability after graduating is increasingly a priority – especially at a time when global economies can feel unstable.
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Imagine walking along the canals in the Netherlands, the water shimmering in the sunlight and purple and yellow flowers blooming around you. There’s a windmill in the distance and the smell of something sweet in the air. You almost forget that you’ve slept for only three hours on the plane, that you have two suitcases bumping along behind you and that, with your spotty signal, you’re pretty sure Google Maps has lost you.
I grew up in Bogor, a small city about two hours drive from the capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta. I then lived in Jakarta for several years to study and work. After finishing my master’s degree, I worked in the World Bank office in Jakarta. From then, I knew my passion was to work for international development organisations.
Choosing to study international business administration (IBA) at Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), Erasmus University in the Netherlands was one of the best decisions I ever made.
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I am writing this blog on 23 January 2023, which marks 12 months since I boarded my flight to Madrid to begin my year studying abroad. I was doing a year overseas with my home university, the University of Texas at Austin. I remember my energy and eagerness. It feels surreal thinking back to how 2022 started when now feels like the typical start to another year.
The winners of the 2023 Oscars have been revealed and as the red (champagne) carpet is being stored away for another year, Times Higher Education looked at the winners of the Best Actor and Best Actress Awards over the past 30 years to see where they went to university (perhaps to refine their Oscar winning talents?)
In 2023, Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian actress and the second woman of colour to win the Best Actress award. She didn't go to university, but began her career as a dancer which helped her to perform her own stunts in her first few roles.
I arrived in France in September 2021 full of dreams, fears and a swirl of emotions that I still can’t describe clearly.
I am from Colombia and grew up in a number of different cities around the country. I completed my undergraduate degree in civil engineering at EAFIT University in Medellín in 2021. During my degree, I discovered a passion for research, knowledge and a specific engineering field: computational mechanics.
Moving to a different country, leaving your friends, family and everything you know, can be daunting and scary. There were times when I had second thoughts and questioned if moving abroad was right for me. Many do not realise how difficult it is to move away and live as an international student in the hopes of a better life, career and future.
But now that I’m halfway through my studies, I can happily say it was the best choice I ever made. It made me independent and confident and I grew as a person. So, if you are considering this path, I couldn’t recommend it enough.
