Introduction

If you're new to this website, hi there! Welcome to my website. I'm Jo, a live events technician specializing in sound reinforcement. I've had my hands in most facets of live production, including audio, video, lighting, rigging, logistics, leadership, and communications. I've also done quite a lot of work in studios with tracking and mixing a variety of audio projects, and have met so many amazing people through my career path. I love what I do and want to inspire others to do what they love as well.

Life Abroad

2023 was quite a busy year for me full of new opportunities and experiences. One of these experiences was leaving home for three months for a semester abroad in Belfast, Ireland. Put simply, it was one of the greatest experiences of my entire life. I dove deep into the rich culture and history Ireland has, spent lots of time outdoors (despite the rain), and saw the beauty of the world that is so hard to find in a landlocked American city. I learned how to slow down and enjoy life, another difficult value to find in the "live-to-work" culture that is so prominent in the United States. If you ever have a chance to go abroad and experience living in a new country, I would highly encourage you to make every effort to make it happen.

While international travel is one of the most enriching experiences one can have, there is a lot of preparation required to successfully pull it off. You may find yourself confused or even overwhelmed during the planning process as you try to coordinate flights, hostels, money, and classes if you're studying. And no matter how much preparation you can do before your first flight, things are always going to pop up; you may find yourself in situations that you've never had to navigate before. Speaking from personal experience, I've compiled a list of things to consider when living or traveling abroad, and a summarized list of quick tips at the end of this post. Enjoy!

Money and currency

Traveling is expensive. There's really no way around that, especially if you're flying to a different country. One of the most important parts of traveling abroad is being financially prepared.

The moment you decide to travel abroad, I would highly recommend opening a separate, high-interest savings account, such as a money-market account, for your traveling expenses. Do some research on what your local bank or credit union offers for these types of accounts. Once this savings account is opened you can look into setting up regular transfers so the money is automatically transferred from your checking account. The longer you can save, the better. This will give plenty of time for interest to compound, as well as time for you to add more money into the account.

Saving Up

Currency Exchange/International Credit Cards

Currency Exchange is an absolute necessity when traveling abroad, as your destination country will more-than-likely have it's own currency system. It is always a good idea to carry some cash in your destination country's currency in case some businesses only accept cash. What's important to note with currency exchange is that there is typically a merchants fee associated with your transaction, so what you pay for a certain amount of currency likely won't be the exchange rate you see on Google. While currency exchange is typically an option at any international airport, these kiosks will most-likely charge a much-higher merchants fee than what you would pay at your local bank. If you give yourself enough time, you can go to your bank and ask to buy the currency of your destination country, and get a better exchange rate than if you did it at the airport.

Carrying an international credit card is also ideal; in a post-pandemic world many businesses are sticking with contactless, cashless payment for convenience and safety. Many banks offer credit cards that do not have fees for international transactions; you can ask your bank about what they offer and open a travel-exclusive credit card to use during your time abroad.

Culture and Culture Shock

Immersing oneself into a new culture can be quite uncomfortable, especially if you'll be living in a new country for a relatively long period of time. While the first week or two is normally filled with excitement, exploring, and taking a "tourist" approach to the country, the reality of having to live in a culture completely unfamiliar to you can be a bit more dreadful. Once the excitement dies down, you may find yourself feeling confused, overwhelmed, or even depressed from the drastic lifestyle changes in a short period of time. You may question yourself and your decisions, wondering why you ever left your home country. During my second or third week living in Ireland, I distinctly remember thinking to myself: "Everything is so backwards here."

Things that personally helped me with adapting to living in a new country was talking to locals. Joining some sort of social group, such as a club/organization/class, is extremely helpful in meeting people who have lived in your new country their whole life, and can help you navigate some of the nuances of a new culture. Surrounding yourself with locals will help you develop a greater appreciation for the culture and integrate better into your new home.

What's important to remember about this rough period when traveling abroad is that these feelings are very normal, and you should allow yourself to feel them. Moving to a new country requires a high level of adaptation that most humans simply do not have. And even if you consider yourself an adaptable, open-minded person (like myself), that does not necessarily make you immune to culture shock. You're not a bad person for having negative feelings about your new home, and I can assure you that those feelings will pass.

Politics

Politics can be a tricky topic to navigate no matter what country you're in. All nations face a political landscape and societal issues that may or may not be similar to what you experience in your home country. With that being said, talking about politics in other countries, in my opinion, is one of the most eye-opening experiences you can have while abroad. The most important takeaway of navigating politics in a new country is understanding that you are there to listen to experiences, not take sides or demand opinions.

Political and social issues are a a big topic in Ireland. Most locals were very comfortable talking about these issues with Americans, who are generally uneducated in the rich yet troubling history of Ireland. In 2023, Ireland is 24 years out of the period known as The Troubles, a 30-year period of violent conflict between the IRA and RUC parties, primarily taking place in Belfast and Derry, NI. While there are strong reconciliation efforts between the Nationalist and Royalist parties and there is now very little violent crime in both cities, racial tension still exists and it remains a traumatic event in Irish history. I met fellow students whose parents were young adults during The Troubles. The key takeaway from this example is that not everyone is comfortable with talking about politics, and the only reason you should engage in a political conversation with a local is if they choose to.

Another thing to consider regarding politics is the importance of doing research before you land in a new country. As a tourist or new resident, locals will not expect you to know every detail of politics and history, but having a general understanding of the political or social landscape shows that you respect the experiences of others enough to do some research on your own. I already knew of The Troubles and Brexit prior to landing in Northern Ireland through my own research, but talking to locals about it helped me better understand the greater effect these issues had on society.

Lastly with politics, it is important to understand that locals may share their personal opinions on politics with you; this does not necessarily permit you to share yours. The goal with discussing politics in a different country should always be to educate yourself on global issues, not take sides or start arguments with people who have a vastly different experiences than you. If a local starts sharing their experiences or opinions with you, listen. You don't have to agree or disagree with them. Use that experience to educate yourself and develop a greater understanding of the world around you.

Engaging Conversation

Prior Research

Sharing Opinions

Studying/Academia

If you're reading this post because you are considering a Study Abroad program with your school, congratulations! While you have a lot of work ahead of you in terms of planning, I can assure you that it is absolutely worth it. Study Abroad is a very transformative and empowering experience, as well as a great piece for your resume. Among other smaller details, there are two big things that you must consider if you decide to study abroad.

There are a couple of things to considering when studying abroad; the most important thing is certainly credit transfers. When you decide to Study Abroad, you may have to forgo the credit hours that you would be receiving for that semester if you stayed at your home university. Additionally, any course requirements that you miss during your semester abroad may need to be taken at a later time during your tenure at your university. These factors combined can certainly result in a delay for meeting your program requirements and, therefore, graduating. If you are considering Study Abroad, you will need to speak to your academic advisor and Study Abroad Director about your options for credit and course transfers to ensure that you can Study Abroad and still graduate on time. This plays a more pertinent role for 4th year undergraduate students as you will not have as much time to make up classes if you fail to take credit transfers into consideration during your planning process.

The last big thing to consider for academia when living abroad is the curricula structure and grading system. Depending on what country you move to, it will most likely be very different from what you are used to at your home university. You may find yourself with much more or less coursework with much lower or higher grade weights. Your abroad university may have very different policies on handling late work, attendance, and plagiarism. And given you have taken the time to ensure a proper credit transfer, passing your classes is absolutely necessary during your time abroad to graduate on time. Most universities that have had abroad students in the past will have some sort of orientation that will help you understand the bureaucratic structure of their schools and programs. I would highly recommend attending these sessions and asking questions to ensure that you are fully aware of what is expected of you as a student of this new university. You would never want to miss out on potential credit hours or develop a poor academic record simply due to a misunderstanding.

Credit Transfers

Academic Systems

Quick Tips

Here's a list of quick tips that are summarized from this post.

• Start saving money for your trip as early as possible.

• Ask your bank to buy currency to save on convenience fees at the airport.

• Look into getting a credit card with no international fees from your bank.

• Understand that you will likely experience culture shock and that is OK.

• Have a general itinerary so you don't waste time thinking of what to do when you're abroad.

• Talk to locals!!!

• Do prior research on the political landscape.

• Be open-minded to a new culture and lifestyle.

• If you're studying, be certain that your credits are sorted at your home and abroad university.

I hope this was helpful in developing a bigger-picture understanding of the crucial details of living abroad. Cheers!