The Christmas holidays is the period when most second year students will begin to organise their year abroad. Whether you want to be studying in Sweden or boogying in Bolivia, here are eight things to consider before your finalise your third year plans.
Year Abroad Considerations
Accessibility(01 of09)
Will your family and friends be able to afford to visit you? If having a few visitors makes you feel more confident about getting through your year abroad, then make sure you're knowledgeable about the different flight prices at different times of the year. Unexpected places can be expensive to fly to (e.g. Greece) whereas others can be far cheaper than you may have assumed (e.g. Germany). (credit:WhoIsDhillon/Flickr)
What's the food like?(02 of09)
Don't underestimate the importance of liking the food in your country of choice. If you have a serious nut allergy, Asia might not be ideal for you. Likewise, gluten free can be an issue in Italy. Make sure you're aware of local and national specialities and think to yourself "could I eat that for a year?" (credit:stu_spivack/Flickr)
Focus on the language(03 of09)
There's no point going to Barcelona if you want to speak Spanish, or Hong Kong if you want to learn Mandarin - no matter what a great city it is. Again, think carefully about whether it's Latin American Spanish or European Spanish you want to learn. (credit:skyseeker/Flickr)
What's the weather like?(04 of09)
This may sound obvious but it's very, very important to consider what the weather will be like before booking your year abroad. If you get sad in dark, cold winter then perhaps Russia is a no-no. Likewise, if you burn easily and hate to sweat, avoid Miami or California. (credit:Ed Yourdon/Flickr)
Can you travel?(05 of09)
If you're planning on travelling to other places in your holidays (if you're studying) or over long weekends (if you're working), you need to consider how realistic that is. How much are internal flights in the country of your choice? And are you interested in visiting the cities your city is nearest to? (credit:brongaeh/Flickr)
Consider healthcare(06 of09)
It's vital to think about the healthcare options in your country of choice. If you're planning on living in the EU, you will need to apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for reduced (and sometimes free) treatment, and if you're going to the USA you will need to research Medicare. (credit:Christiaan Triebert/Flickr)
Think about timezone(07 of09)
Do you have a partner at home you're planning on doing long distance with? Are your parents expecting a regular call? Make sure you think about time distance before booking your trip. Don't let it be a major influence on your decision to go somewhere, but it's definitely worth considering. (credit:leoplus/Flickr)
How easy will it be to keep in touch?(08 of09)
Instagram and Facebook are banned in China, and internet is seriously sparse in Cuba, for example. Do some research - will you be able to use your preferred forms of social media to stay in touch with family and friends? (credit:zipckr/Flickr)
Most important of all: get first-hand advice(09 of09)
Speak to family, friends, family friends and friends of family. Hell, even send out a tweet. See whether anyone has lived or even visited where you're planning to go to. Did they like it? What was the food like? What was the weather like? Nothing is more useful than a first-hand account. (credit:danielfoster437/Flickr)