Trailblazing Unleashed

I have had the opportunity to study abroad three times in my life, and its been nothing short of amazing! However, no good thing comes without challenges. Traveling as a disabled person is one thing, but school trips are an entirely different ball game. Here’s how you can make study abroad as smooth as possible, even if you aren’t disabled!

Apply Early!

Even if you don’t know if you’ll get in, apply, apply, apply! The worst they can say is no. But if you do decide to apply, apply early! The earlier you apply to rolling applications (or standing applications) the earlier you may hear back from your selected program. And, if you apply sooner, you have a better chance at getting scholarships!

Scholarships can make all the difference in the world when it comes to study abroad. I applied to a variety of need based and merit based scholarships, and in the end I never paid a dime to study abroad. There are also a ton of scholarships that help disabled students travel and attend university. Take your time on the application, do your best, and you never know what kind of money you may end up with! Why pay to travel when your school might pay you instead?

Know Your Destination

If you have disabilities like me, or even if you don’t, knowing where you’re going is essential! I know that sounds kind of obvious, but there are a lot of things you might not think of. For example, traditional ADHD medications are super highly regulated in a lot European countries. If this is something that might affect you, you should know before you go! No one wants to get stopped at customs for something they didn’t know.

Not only this, but knowing how accessible a place is can be really important! If you are someone in a wheelchair, parts of Italy could be really difficult! But there are accommodations that could help, and without doing a little research you may never have known! I would recommend checking out travel sites or even personal blogs to scope out a location before you travel there. That can help you understand if this is somewhere you can really excel. I’ll be doing reviews on a few of the countries I’ve explored, and posting here soon!

Plan Ahead

While research is a part of planning ahead, its not the only step! Knowing how long you plan to be there, what you may need, and how you’re going to get there are pretty essential steps too! For example, I was in Italy for two months. My ADHD prescription only supplies one month of my medication. To fix this, I talked to my doctor before I left, and extended my prescription to 90 days. Make sure you’re thinking of things like this too!

I would also recommend making a copy of your passport, just in case!

Packing Lists

This may sound silly, but make a packing list! You may think you have it all figured out, but if you have ADHD like me you’re bound to forget something. I make lists of all the clothes, tech, hygiene items, medications, documents, and personal items I could possibly need before even opening a suitcase. This may be a bit overkill, but its saved tons of money when I get where I’m going. And if you’re going somewhere a bit more adventurous, your program advisor might have some suggested packing lists too!

Talk to Your Program Advisor

Speaking of program advisors, talk to them! If you have any questions about accessibility, they’re a great place to start. Often times, they’ll have experience in this area and at least know who to direct you towards if they don’t. My program directors helped me find safe places to eat, good snack options, and often made me feel included.

Your program advisor might be able to direct you towards a tour guide as well! Many of the programs I attended had tour guides accompany them, and they made my experience so much better! If you’re worried about a language barrier or have an accessibility concerns, local tour guides will often be the best person to talk to.

Make Friends

Some of the hardest parts of study abroad for me were the isolation and the loneliness. Being so far away from my family and my partner really took a toll on me, and it really only started to ease when I made friends within my program. You don’t have to keep up with these people for ever or anything, but they can make a lonely few weeks so much better. The best thing I can recommend is to talk to others in your program before you study abroad. They can also help you advocate for yourself, and make you feel included! I’ve had lots of mom friends on trips help me find a safe place to eat.

Know Yourself

The final piece of advice I can offer about study abroad is to know yourself. This sounds kind of broad, but it can really help! If you know how you respond to certain situations, you can prep yourself for your trip. I know that I have separation anxiety when it comes to my family and my partner. To keep myself sane while abroad, I upped my anxiety medication before I left for my longest study abroad. If you have anything like this, take precautions early! Keep your support system close. They can make all the difference in the world when you’re missing them at 3 in the morning.

All in all, I hope you take the leap and study abroad! Hopefully my tips and tricks can help you plan your trip, or maybe they convinced you to try international travel! Either way, adventure is out there!

Trailblaze on!

–Kaya