From washing my own clothes to changing the lightbulb, here are some of the life changing lessons I’ve learned while living in a foreign country.
It was at the end of January 2021 when I started packing my bags to say goodbye to the place I’ve considered my second home. Living in London for the last 5 years has given me so much more than I could ask for—from meeting friends from all over the world to graduating from one of the UK’s top universities, living abroad has definitely been one of the highlights of my life so far.
London has always been a dream travel destination for me. After first visiting the city in 2013 during a family vacation, I told myself, I’m going to live here someday. Whether you want to call it a manifestation or just plain luck, I got to live that dream just two years later.
I was 19 when I decided to pursue my undergraduate studies in the UK. Having never been away from my family for such long periods of time, this revelation came as a surprise to my parents. Understandably, they were worried but they were also very supportive of my decision. While you can consider me as a “sheltered” kid before I left Manila, I have come a long way since. Looking back at all of the things I have had the privilege to experience, here are all the things I’ve learned—about the world, and most importantly, myself—while living abroad.
The Value of Family and Friends
The difference in timezones is one of the hardest challenges I had to overcome in order to stay connected to family and friends back in Manila. With Philippines being 8 hours ahead, I’d just be waking up and people back home are getting ready to get off work. It was a real struggle, and knowing that I have family and friends back home who make the time and effort for us to talk really made me more appreciative of them.
But, even better than having friends back home, I’ve also gained new friendships abroad. These people that I’ve met helped me so much and made London feel like home. And for that, I will forever be grateful.
How To Enjoy My Time Alone
I’ve always been the type of person who wanted to be around a lot of people, because I’ve always thought that being alone means being lonely. Living abroad has definitely changed my perspective.
Having known no one before moving, I had to figure things out alone. From grocery shopping to running errands to figuring out which bus to take, it was daunting to think about at first. But as time passed by, I learned to enjoy the small things on my own. I got used to shopping and eating alone, and I learned that sometimes, the best company is one’s self.
What It Feels Like To Be An Outsider
While it is true that Filipinos are everywhere, I felt very left out during my first weeks at university. And while I’ve made friends by the second day, it still felt like I was an outsider looking in.
Being the only Filipino in my whole course, it was a bit difficult to feel like I belonged. I see people coming from similar cultures and/or countries being in groups, talking about things they can only understand. But, I’m still lucky to be there. Lucky enough to be able to learn more about the culture of others, to see the things that matter to them most, and to be able to call them my friends.
I Will Miss A Lot of Things
One thing I didn’t realize before moving abroad were the things I was going to miss. Birthdays, weddings, and just small victories that deserved to be celebrated. Sure, technology has made things easy with FaceTime, Skype, or Zoom. But physically being able to celebrate with your family and friends is a different feeling.
But it is during these times that I’ve come to realize that it’s totally normal to feel sad and miss home. And while you are missing some things, you are also gaining new experiences that you will remember forever.
Cherish Every Moment
As cliché as it sounds, I’ve learned to treasure every moment while I was living abroad. Knowing that someday I might have to go back home, I made sure I got to experience everything London had to offer. From staying in the library until midnight to getting McDonald’s after partying all night, these are moments I’m going to be looking back at in the future. Living independently, experiencing as much freedom as I could—these are things I’m glad to have experienced.
Being able to study and live abroad is a privilege not all are offered, but it has truly changed my perspective of the world, and also myself.
