Ol`gita Major: International Economic Relations Status: Workygirl I am fond of chocolates, flowers, friends, loud music, watching movies, taking pictures and traveling!!!

Community Support Abroad
Olya Bezvushko

It is important for international students be well informed about their destination country to make the moving process easier, besides it is good to establish local contacts quickly especially if you are planning to stay abroad for an extended period of time. Getting support from other international students from your country can make the adjustment much easier and quicker.

The more creative you are in looking for the assistance or help, the easier it is to adapt to new environment. Joining the students’ community will help you to make first contacts abroad. Those students, who had come before you, can give you many useful advices as they experienced the same adaptation process. International students are usually favorable to newcomers from their own country and culture. They can provide you all necessary information about housing or job and other useful tips for everyday life. 

Students’ communities, with special national spirit, like to get together in local pubs or cafes. It is easy to contact the community in small towns, where everybody knows each other. In larger cities you may have to apply to your consulate, to find out either there is student community in the location to which you are planning to move. 

Internet makes it easier for students to find resources and connect with other international students on-line. The appearance of numerous online discussion groups in last few years has made this kind of information easy to find. There are many forums, and e-mail discussion groups where you can ask questions, find advices, and get support from others in all aspects of living overseas.

It is good to have friends abroad from your home country, but do not neglect communication with the locals. You go abroad to get new impressions and experiences so try to immerse into new culture as soon as possible to get a chance to enjoy it entirely.