The search for greener pasture is almost a search for survival these days, especially in developing countries where travelling abroad is a mark of achievement for most people. For others, struggling abroad is even better than struggling at home, after all, abroad comes with all the basic amenities for both the rich and poor such as electricity, gas, internet access, security of lives and properties, human right protection, and reasonable minimum wage.
For some other people, the quest for high quality education is the driving force, which explains the increasing number of international students seeking to study in advanced countries. It is for this singular reason I have put together this guide to help you achieve your dream of leaving the shores of your home country for the desire of your heart, whether it is quality education, tourism, vacation, or greener pasture you seek.
Things to bear in mind before travelling abroad
Please consider the following before you start taking concrete steps to travel abroad.
1. Have enough money to cover basic costs
You may need to prove you can study, work and live in the US, or UK if they are your choice destinations. The whole process of traveling to and settling in a foreign country is financially demanding as an international student or a general immigrant. Be ready to foot tuition, accommodation and living costs at the very least.
It’s difficult to settle as an international student abroad, just that it requires finance and plenty of it. Having enough money saves you the stress of having to indulge in corporate begging. This is the reason part of the requirements needed to travel abroad is that international students have a minimum amount of money in the bank to cover basic costs. You won’t succeed at the embassy of developed countries without having a pass mark here.
Having just enough money to pay your tuition and take care of living expenses is all you need to get started. You might want to know how to get a full scholarship.
2. Have someone living abroad
If you have enough money as itemized above, then this tip of having someone abroad isn’t so important, however, if you don’t have enough money, knowing someone that live abroad is a must. There is nothing like you want to scavenge as an international student or greener pasture seeker, you won’t even be given a visa because it’s not good for your mental and psychological health to consider travelling to the UK, Belgium, Spain, Japan, South Korea, the US, or any other developed country for study or other purposes when you don’t have enough money to meet your basic need when you arrive nor know anyone with a residency permit to receive you on arrival, in form of relative, friend, employer, or college representatives.
Having someone abroad gives you security, at least a place to lay your head while you work on getting your foot on the ground plus a much needed guide from someone who had been there.
3. Settle with your bank
One very important thing you must do is to approach your bank branch in your home country, notifying them of your intention to travel abroad. This will enable them give you appropriate financial advice on how to access your account on arrival while setting up mechanism to facilitate withdrawals by giving you international credit card. You would also be informed if your bank has an international branch in your country destination and how to go about it.
Settling with your bank ensure you don’t get stranded with cash on arrival abroad.
4. Returning to your country should be part of your plan
One common mistake many greener pasture seekers make, whether seeking to study or work abroad, is their desire to almost never return. I have personally engaged a number of natives with unquenchable dreams of travelling overseas, many of whom had even taken concrete steps to obtain visas only to be rejected time and again. Each time I put forward the question of ‘so when do you plan returning’? I get the common response of, “coming back to this country is not part of my plan”. One time one said to me and I quote the exact words she used, “I’m not sure I will ever come back home if I get this chance to travel to Australia”. You can dismiss it with whatever adjective you like, I am simply reporting, without comment, the response of a lady of about 27 years seeking to travel abroad when I inquired if she had any plans of returning home. It is as if all hope is lost on the country.
Acquiring a quality education abroad as an international student, gaining work experience, getting new insight on organization structure, work ethics, infrastructural development, human right enforcement, and public conduct are all required in your home country. Those should be some of the benefits of studying abroad. Planning to return to your country with the superior knowledge and experience from overseas at some point should be highly considered.
5. Proceed to submit your visa application
Applying for a visa to travel abroad for study or work is one thing you must do very quick to avoid denial, rejection, and the whole last-minute rush. For international students after securing an offer of a place and scholarship, the next immediate thing you should do is apply for a visa but by this time, you should already have a passport.
6. Have a skill
Although no one is doomed to fail, the individual without a skill in the 21st century is certainly closer to be in a failure regardless of academic qualification, and the future isn’t so bright for that person. Moreover, aiming to travel abroad without a skill, except for tourism or sight-seeing, without a singular skill is as bad as it is. What do you intend doing in a foreign country? If the reason you seek to travel abroad is to study, what else can you offer aside just being a student? Facebook, Microsoft, and other world leading companies today were started by college students. What other skills do you have? How do you intend contributing to the advancement of society?
Advanced countries thrive on skills and technical know-how, that is why Japan is the third largest economy in the world. Whether it be skills on being a good conversationalist, ability to understand, speak, and translate one or important languages often used in global communications (French, English, Chinese, Spanish), skills in dealing with people, ICT skills, management skills, culinary skills, artistic work, or being versatile.
Learn a skill even as a student, be relevant, and contribute to the growth of society abroad.
In a bid to travel abroad to pursue whatever cause, get these basics right so your dreams are not dashed mind-way through. If you follow through this guide, the only that would be left between you and overseas is the flight you need to be on.
Please feel free to leave a comment below. I’d be glad to give you replies.
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Maxwell is a Dietitian with passion for showing people hope. With nearly a decade experience helping people make key decisions on education and career, you can find him almost everywhere on this site. From answering admission and scholarship questions to creating tutorials and helping others live their best lives though nutrition. Connect with me on Twitter.
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