10 Things I've Learned Living Abroad

10 unusual things I've learned during my time as an expat and student abroad. And I'm not talking about the generalized feeling of "gaining independence" and "becoming a global citizen." This is day-to-day stuff that is extremely important to life abroad.

Via novicewanderer.com

People are always talking about the great things that living overseas can give you. Things like independence, responsibility, self-confidence, and cultural awareness. And while those are all things that I’ve definitely gained through my time abroad both now and before, I want to talk about the lesser known but no less important skills that I’ve learned during my time in Europe.

01. The ability to make a 0.3 liter pop last an entire meal.

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In the US we are sheltered and spoiled. In restaurants pop flows from a fountain and the refills are endless. We can drink as much pop as our hearts desire and our stomachs can handle. In the rest of almost the entire world, pop is poured from either a glass or plastic bottle into your glass, and usually ice is not included. Freer refills are literally a foreign concept to most people. So, in an effort to save money and probably be a little healthier, I have learned the art of making 0.3 liters–the equivalent of 10oz– last an entire meal.

02. Understanding and Reading Maps

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This is probably the most important skill you can ever learn as a traveler. The world relies far too much on GPS and Google Maps nowadays. When you’re living abroad, it’s quite common to have a data plan that only offers data in your own country. And in a continent like Europe, where the nearest border is never more than a couple hours away, it is difficult to use your phone as a navigation system during your travels. Ergo–good, ol’ fashioned maps are used quite often, and they are usually available for free at whichever hostel, hotel, or resort you’re staying in. So even when you’re in Italy, which has some of the most labyrinth-like streets I’ve encountered, you can find your way to the nearest tourist spot to take a photo of that one building/monument/piece of art.

03. Stretching money far enough to cover those trips to Paris, Stockholm, Istanbul, and Rome.

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There is no time like the time you live abroad to travel and see all those places on your bucket list. Only thing is–it all costs money. While at home, I can get by each month on about $1000. And while I’m here I may not have as many bills or responsibilities (like a car and its insurance), but I would rather spend my weekends in a new place than in my bedroom watching Netflix. So I do whatever I can to stretch my Euros as far as possible, including going to countries with currency that makes my €1 worth about four or five of their own denominations and refusing to buy more than €10 of groceries each week. #HungryTourist

04. Raising your body's alcohol tolerance

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In the land where beer is literally cheaper than water–at least at a restaurant–because said water is not poured from the tap but a bottle, it just makes more sense to spend money on an actual drink. Why buy water for such an exorbitant price when you can get alcohol? Furthermore, alcohol isn't viewed with any inappropriate connotations, at least in Europe. You can drink a beer before noon, at a business meeting, at any event, and even at 16 years old. So grab a glass of fermented hops and barley and treat yo'self.

05. Functioning well and productively while hungover

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Often, time spent abroad is time spent away from the burdens of responsibility. Right now, I do have a job, but I only work 13 hours each week. That leaves a lot of free time. Free time that is sometimes filled with day drinking, followed by night drinking, followed by waking up the next day around 7am and making oneself presentable enough to teach young Austrian minds. But honestly, I don’t think living abroad is the only time you gain this skill–basically anybody just out of college and in their first real job. Am I right?

06. The ability to spot and effectively dodge your high school students in a bar.

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I'm not the only one night-drinking on a weeknight. This is probably the most awkward and strange thing. In the US, high school students have the decency to stay in their own or a friend’s basement to get drunk with each other, while simultaneously imagining that you, as a teacher, have no life and therefore never drink alcohol. Here, each night in a bar or club is a minefield of students. Sometimes, both of you choose to ignore that the other exists. Sometimes, you see the student first and immediately turn your back and begin to surreptitiously move your group of friends further away. And then sometimes, your student sees you first and attempts to come over and say hello. This is when you act as if you don’t see or hear them until they touch you on the shoulder, but the goal is to never let it get that far.

07. Making inferences to guess how to use machinery and interpret unknown words and phrases

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Okay, so I guess this falls under independence, but it goes beyond that. I have a friend, who could not figure out how to use her building’s washing machine for at least three months, all the while she was washing her clothes in her bathtub. Fun, right? Finally, she bit the bullet and through a lot of trial and error, she figured it out! Think about it–directions are in another language. What if you don’t know that language? What if you don’t understand one or two words in the directions and those words are key to actually understanding the whole sentence? It’s a hard-knock life, y’all.

08. Navigating public transportation in multiple languages

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Thank God there are maps for these things because otherwise we’d all be lost. I think it’s almost universally recognized that you don’t really feel at home in a place until you can effectively navigate their public transportation and then explain to someone else how to use it and how to get somewhere. But when you’re visiting somewhere just for the weekend, it feels really fantastic to be able to get from point A to point B in a foreign country and city with a foreign language. Shazam!

09. Effectively avoiding thieves and pickpockets.

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Seriously, this is real life when traveling. And I don’t mean that I’m wearing my handy wallet-necklace-thing that everybody’s parents attempts to convince their traveling children to use. Or using a pocket protector, or a fanny pack. I carry my purse around. That purse has a zipper and a cross-body strap. I zip it up and don’t flash my money to the world. I don’t use my back pockets. And if I’m feeling really cautious, I stuff the essentials into my bra. I don’t believe every sob story I hear, and I have a hand on my purse in crowded areas. Who says sensible can’t be fashionable?

10. Taking a good picture while walking.

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This might not seem like a big deal, but when you’re traveling in a group, somehow, one person will get left behind to take a photo and then subsequently have to run and catch up to the group. When you finally achieve the art of snapping that image on-the-go, it’s pretty great that you don’t have to experience a mini-panic attack every time you turn to find yourself alone and separated from three or four of your friends.

This article was found on Novice Wanderer.