If you’ve ever wondered about studying in Germany or more generally about living in Europe, you’re not alone.

I moved from Montana to Berlin, Germany after high school and studied Political Science at the Freie Universität Berlin and Touro College Berlin.

I also participated in an Erasmus semester where I attended ISCTE – IUL (Instituto Universitário de Lisboa).

Studying abroad had its challenges that I needed to overcome. I went from a D+ student, sick with mononucleosis causing me to fall asleep in class to graduating graduate school with a 3.8 GPA or 1,1 Note.

Growing from a D+ student to A student was stressful and required me to make a variety of shifts in my life to achieve this.

My goal is to share with you my experiences so you can grow and anticipate some of the challenges that will face you when you move abroad.

Living abroad requires a shift in mindset, emotional resilience, openness and long term goal setting.

There is not really a one-size-fits all approach to moving abroad. Every person in every context is different. Instead, I want to focus on sharing insights on mindset shifts to better face and solve the challenges of living abroad.

The first step to moving abroad is finding a so-called migration pathway. Think au-pair, NALCAP, language school, working holiday visa, ect. There are many ways to get a residency permit for another country.

This is where long-term goal setting is a crucial component.

I visited friends in Germany, then ended up staying for over 10 years. I didn’t have a plan, I made vibe-based decisions that ultimately worked out fine, but honestly that was too much time for me in Germany.

I want you to make decisions that reflect your goals and dreams.

Pursuing a degree start (language school) to finish (graduation) in Germany will likely at least be a 5-6 year process. This is fine if you want to do this. If you’re seeking novelty and flexibility, it might be too long of a commitment.

Once you’ve adjusted to life abroad, it often becomes regular life in a foreign language.

I want to provide you with first-hand experience of life abroad so you can make decisions that match your goals and values.

Knowledge is the key to success. I want you to be successful and make it abroad.