Living Abroad: You’ve Got to Call Some Place Home!

Living abroad. We’ve talked a lot about the adventures, the school, the people, but a massive part of the experience is just living in a different country! Your bathroom might be in a different layout, you may not be able to find the foods you’re used to in stores, or you may not even be able to find clothes that fit you! (Such was my case… I’m too tall for Japan!)

But no matter what roadblocks you must face, living abroad is a crucial and, honestly, quite exciting part of studying abroad! You’ll learn to appreciate the smaller things such as calling a foreign environment home long before you know it. So what is there to expect and how was my experience in Osaka?

Well, first things first, just be prepared for a difference in amenities. In some countries, hot water showers aren’t the norm. In some, maybe they have heated toilets (they’re the best), or maybe the front door to your dorm room or apartment opens the opposite way than you’re used to. It’s these little things that add up that make one’s time abroad so unique. We’re all used to different amenities, standards of living, and expectations, but all of these culminate to make an experience unique to you.

For me, the first thing that shocked me and that I truly miss the most was the convenience of everything in Japan. My apartment unit was a small studio apartment, but had everything I needed in one little room. Bathroom, kitchenette, bed. Do you really need more than that if you’re (hopefully) going to be out and about traveling and exploring a new environment?

The Cherry Blossoms just starting to bloom outside my apartment building

But the convenience goes so much deeper in Japan. Paying my rent was as simple as taking the monthly pay stub handed to me by my landlord to the nearest convenience store and paying it at the counter. Of course, I had to treat myself to the insane food selection they had there. Was it the best food in Japan? Not by a mile, but I’ll tell you what. You walk to your local Family Mart at 7pm on a hot summer night to pay your rent, and that fried chicken, “Famichiki”, is the most delectable thing in the world. I ate way too much of that while abroad.

It was the simple things such as how everything was right there within walking distance that I think I miss the most. The train station? Five minute walk. Grocery store? Inside the train station! And on top of that, there were amazing restaurants scattered everywhere.

Sunset from my apartment balcony

Living in Japan honestly felt like luxury with how convenient it was to go from place to place whether it be on foot, by bus, or by train. As a massive nerd who is super into the intricacies and science behind urban engineering (another story for another time), I was having a blast living in this new environment. And I think you can find that joy much the same in any place that you go! Lots of countries outside the US have amazing public transit and accessibility that makes living in your host country just… easy.

But that was a little about living abroad. Make sure you do your research into what living in your host country looks like as it really differs quite a lot from country to country! That being said, there is so much to look forward to! If there is one thing you’ve gathered from my posts, I think it should be that no matter where you go, you’ll have a blast experiencing all the differences and nuances of your host country. Just be sure to go in prepared!

Next week, I’ll touch on some final wrap-up trips I went on as we start to wind this semester down. Keep an eye out!