New Beginnings Abroad

On Saturday night I embarked on a pub-crawl around Edinburgh with one aim: no, not to get legless. To talk to the 250-odd new international students who have just arrived at the University of Edinburgh from all across the globe. Having experienced the exact same ‘new beginning’ myself last year on exchange in Spain I wanted to find out how starting over in Scotland as an exchange student compared to the ‘standard’ Fresher’s Week all UK students experience in September.

When hearing the words ‘year abroad’ the majority of people seem to simultaneously understand ‘gap year’ or ‘year out’. The year abroad is an amazing opportunity and certainly one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had, but it’s certainly not a gap year. For one thing, the majority of students will be entering into an environment where their first language is not the common tongue, meaning that the most mundane tasks like supermarket shopping become hugely stressful adventures. Oh, also the ‘boring’ things like opening a bank account or purchasing a mobile phone.  Pretty tricky when your Spanish doesn’t quite stretch to “Pay As You Go”…. (Orange on Princes St is great for helping foreign students - Ed)

Don’t get me wrong, its not all bad. Upon arriving at the university, there are orientation programs galore, and advice leaflets spouting out your ears. However, realistically no amount of leaflets will make the biggest choice less complicated – the small matter of accommodation. Not only do you have to consider the location of your flat (close to university or close to more exciting stuff, i.e. bars?), you also have to take into consideration the amount of rent, the length of the contract, and the most crucial factor – your new flat mates. No one wants to live with a weirdo, or a stinker, and yet where do you begin to make a decision like that in the usual 15 minutes it takes to look around somebody’s flat?

Then there’s the world that is the university campus. Bad enough starting out as a fresher in your own college where at least you speak the lingo and there are about 400 other people as lost as you are. The social etiquette (including fashion, participation levels, social interaction) not only varies massively but also becomes ten times harder to interpret when Spanish is not your first language. So desperate to make friends with the ‘natives’ you will agree to anything. Even going out to drink “Tinto de Verano” at 5 in the afternoon and going to a club at p.m., when its still light outside. For the love of God, don’t, just don’t.

The Year Abroad for me created what I hope will prove to be friendships for life. However upon arriving into a new city, knowing literally no one how on earth do you about making these friendships? Go. For. It. Daunting, but necessary. I left Spain with connections in Greece, Germany, France, Italy and, Birmingham. Ok, yes, my best friend over there was another Anglesa like me – and I stand by the fact that if It hadn’t been for her I’m not sure I’d have survived some trickier situations, like the time me and a shopkeeper had a slight misunderstanding about fino and vino – the memory fades after about 11 pm….

All you newbies to Edinburgh really are in for the time of your lives. All the little difficulties you encounter at the beginning will soon fade into comparison, and even further down the line they will become the witty anecdotes you recount at dinner parties amidst much hilarity. So all that’s really left to say is WELCOME and good luck. Edinburgh is a fantastic city – check out our city guide at www.studentpunch.com/Edinburgh-City-Guide/ and go exploring! Just don’t go back with any piercings you’ve not previously informed your parents of – trust me, the welcome home will not be enthusiastic as it should be.