Submitted by our German study abroad student Yasmin who will be with ThinkTalk throughout the Fall '10 Semester! Stay tuned for her blogs on studying abroad!

"Just wear your winter coat on the plane,” my mom said, as she was starring at my crammed suitcase and two way-too-heavy carry-on bags on the floor, next to the giant pile of unpacked clothes that still remained on my bed. I was leaving that morning, August 14^th, for the Washington Semester Program at American University in Washington DC. Because I did not want to be the "weird German girl that wears a winter coat at 100 degrees," I did not listen to my mom's advice.  (Please keep your fingers crossed that temperatures in November and December will be mild!) But seriously, how are you supposed to fit enough clothes for 4 months and three seasons in one suitcase?!

My fear of bringing ALL the wrong things (which unfortunately has panned out to be true) was not the only thing on my mind that morning.  Questions began to pop into my head throughout the entire trip—from my drive to the airport and during the almost 20-hour-trip to DC: Why did I want to go abroad again? It meant leaving my family and my awesome friends behind and missing out on birthdays, parties and concerts. It was so out of my comfort zone. Would I easily find new friends in DC? Would I be able to adjust to living in a triple bedroom in a residence hall on a dry campus? (Note: the last time I had to share a room was with my brother when I was 10 years old…)

I had been an exchange student when I was 16, and spent my junior year of a high school in Virginia Beach, which turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made; but I have to say, now I have learned that the best time to go abroad is as a college student! You’ll have the time of your life and become more attractive to future employers at the same time! Pretty good deal, huh?

One Step Ahead

The job market continues to become more and more competitive. Having studied abroad for one or two semesters makes you stand out from the crowd of applicants. Future employers will greatly appreciate your courage to go to a foreign country by yourself and will admire your independence, self-confidence, cross-cultural communication skills, and your ability to speak a foreign language.

So, my advices is to: Use your time abroad to explore your field of study and to gain an international perspective on it. Take advantage of the resources you would not have had access to at your school and city back home. And don't forget: Now is the time to network! Your professors and classmates, especially if they study and work in the same field as you, will help you to create a worldwide network that you would not have had otherwise.

Have a Blast!

A study abroad semester is also a great opportunity to meet new people both from your host country and from all over the world. And you will probably never forget the once-in-a-lifetime memories you share with them: passing the Collesseum in Rome on the backseat of a vespa, a weekend trip from Quito to the Galapagos Islands, the German Oktoberfest and lots of great parties. I promise!

Besides, you will become attached to your new home and start to love that new culture with all its (sometimes weird) peculiarities.

Getting Started Choosing a country and a program that suits you best is no easy task and requires a decent amount of research. The study abroad office at your school is a good starting point, but don’t forget the internet and past exchange students for more advice!

Here are some websites you might wanna take a look at:

AbroadBloggers

GoAbroad

GSE Abroad

IES Abroad

IIE Passport

StudyAbroad

StudyAbroad360

StudyAbroadDirectory