It is hard to put my experiences into words, but I will give it my best. The lessons you learn from studying in a foreign country are priceless.
"What you choose to study gives you a job, WHERE you choose to study gives you character"
“Where will I study” - Almost as crucial of a choice as WHAT you choose to study. You can become a veterinarian almost anywhere in the world. But how good of a vet, your values, relationships and ethics? Now that might vary depending on WHERE you choose to do your studies. I cannot address enough how much studying abroad can change you as a person - maybe even forever.
If you study in your home country - you might live only a few hours away from all your old friends and family. Maybe you’re renting from your uncle, and still cooking with some family friends on the weekends. If something goes wrong, you already know the system, and you’ll probably call your parents to have them fixing it for you. You’re still leaving your nest, but maybe your values, intuitions, goals, norms and perception will stay the same.
As a student alone in a foreign country - you HAVE to get organized and independent. You have to orientate yourself into new systems, new rules, a new language, a new culture and new traditions. You’re not only learning the new system in this country - you’re learning HOW to orientate into new systems: Now you haven’t just memorized one side on encyclopedia, you know how to use it. You are now unstoppable!
You will master your English skills (that is great for any international corporation), and maybe even learn a new language. You will meet like minded people from all over the world and who knows - maybe you will get an opportunity to come work with them in the future? Every country practices medicine in a slightly different way, and we have a lot to learn from each other. Integrating into a new culture can be difficult, but luckily you’re “all in this together” - and the bonds you make with people you’ve been through highs and lows with; is stronger than any other. You all arrive mostly without any experience, and have to rely on each other to figure things out. This also pushes you to reach out to people and make more friends.
Your knowledge might be wider - as well as your understanding of different people and different cultures. If you want to be a compassionate and understanding vet - you have to know where they come from. It will not only widen your understanding of the owners - but it may open your mind and make you the one who thinks outside the box. The one that knows that nothing is impossible. The one that is not pushed into a conservative mindset of judgment.
Even though some of the schools in central Europe might be “easier” to get into (meaning they don’t only look at your previous grades), it does not mean that the studies are easy. You will meet several difficult challenges that will shape you as a person, and make you more resilient for the future. It is a challenging study, and teachers require you to know a lot. You will very most likely fail a few tests throughout your studies, and failing is never fun. Usually these are the subjects you remember the most.
"I think one of the biggest mistakes people make is to think they're always going to be on top of everything."
- With the amount of material you have to study in vet school it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to always be on top of everything at all times - and that's okay!
Not to mention the relationships you create when living so far away from your friends and family. The classmates and friends you make abroad will function as your new family. These will be people you can rely on, that you have gone through everything with for many years. The relationships created are rather strong, and it gives you friends and contacts all over the world.
In my opinion, a person that studied abroad is not only an open minded and compassionate person, it’s also likely that they are highly independent and oriented people. They are tough and resilient, and can handle anything you may throw at them physically and mentally. It says a lot about their motivation and drive, when they’re willing to travel far away from everything they know - and jump into the water of the unknown - all alone!
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