Life after a year abroad

To anyone kind enough to drop in after my long absence, hello.


Don't worry, the blog title is not leading you into a deep, dark pit of self-analysis and reflection through which you have to wade to make it back out again. Would you believe, I have actually been busy? 

If you have been reading correctly, and have a very good memory, I was applying for internships a couple or three posts ago. Well, I had some success, and am currently a lucky intern in the Houses of Parliament, working for an MP.

So currently my days are spent ambling the corridors of the Parliamentary Estate, writing letters to constituents, and generally soaking up the atmosphere. I have to admit, as internships go, it's pretty great. Already I've had my eyes opened to a wealth of ideas, food for thought and a whole range of confident people, and even some who are deservedly so.

I certainly think a Year Abroad has helped me to get this far; just at a very basic level, there have been two conversations already amongst those with whom I work about the benefits of having a second language in general academic, intellectual terms, as well as having a broader world view than most. I am quite sure that that line on my CV gave me a boost in the application process, as well.

Looking at it more specifically, what is it that I, and other Year Abroaders, will have gained from such an experience? 

There's an independence that comes from being abroad alone, one step up from university life, especially but not exclusively if you've been working rather than studying. Have you shopped, written, laughed, lived, and generally communicated in a foreign language? Well there's that communication skill that is so sought after - you had to listen harder, you had to syphen off what was important and what was chitchat to pick out the key things to reply to. Other versions of English can count too - I have had to learn new words ('bogan' for the Australian 'chav', anyone?) and new meanings of words and not laugh ('thongs' as shoes). You probably asked some "stupid" questions too, getting over your fear of embarrassment somewhat. (Aside: ask a question if you need to. We are conditioned to believe that there is such a thing as a stupid question but really, if you don't understand, it is the most straightforward way to find out.) 

Oh and let's not forget that if you work with children, they will throw you enough curveballs to give you enough examples of adaptability to fill whole pages.

I could go on. Have I convinced you into your year abroad yet?