Writing this in dreary Edinburgh, where the grey clouds do overtime in the November, I often have to pinch myself to remind myself that less than six months ago, my life looked very different. I spent my year abroad largely in Colombia, where I worked for a small, local non-profit organisation which uses various art mediums (ranging from radio, literature, music, dance, and visual arts) to enable conversations with marginalised communities about their experiences and hopes. I later spent a further two months as a teaching assistant in Lima, Peru, working with students from 4th, 8th, and 11th grade.
There were many things I loved about my time abroad – the range of people I met, the opportunities to travel and work across Colombia (especially in remote areas) and developing my CV in view of my future career aspirations. Furthermore, choosing an internship over studying was great for pushing my language skills because nearly all of the people I worked with didn’t speak English, and I was interacting with individuals from a wide range of ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. Language wasn’t the only way I stood out – being the only “extranjera” meant that my colleagues (who quickly became friends) in Colombia and Peru embraced the chance to immerse me in the culture.
However, it wasn’t all a bed of roses (or orchids, as is the Colombian national flower). Organising an internship is highly independent, with little support from the university to establish a placement. But don’t let that put you off – some diligent research, a dig into your own networks, and a good deal of gumption to just ask can really pay off. Nevertheless, the visa process was particularly challenging. For students considering this as an option, I would definitely recommend starting early to give yourself time and headspace. Whilst you’re there, it can also be a tricky balance to manage your workload between the demands of the job and your university studies.
Ultimately, my advice to other students is that your year abroad is really your own and you should make it what you want it to be. Take some time to establish your top priorities for your time away – maybe language acquisition, travel opportunities, career development. Perhaps consider one or two aspects that you envisage will be challenging. For example, the time and cost of travelling to South America meant that returning to the UK during my time away was unfeasible, and this is understandably a challenge for many people.
Most of all- embrace it! Despite, being an overall hugely positive experience which I’m grateful for, my year abroad was definitely marked by some really difficult and challenging times. However, it was these moments where I grew the most and which made the amazing aspects all the more cherished. Plus, it was one less dark winter spent Vitamin-D deficient in Edinburgh.
Illustration by Emily Lucas.