What's it like to go to school in a different country and you barely speak the language and don't know anyone?

Question

What's it like to go to school in a different country and you barely speak the language and don't know anyone?

Answer 1

Exhilarating!!! Do it if you have the chance! Don't worry about barely speaking the language. If you're young and have an open mind, the language will come. Also, you'll make friends, either with people who speak the same language as you, or even open-minded students from your host country. But just don't go in telling yourself that you're at a disadvantage. I am much older and had the chance to study for 1 year in France. I already spoke French but it had been a long time since I had used my French. Within weeks I was back to speaking fluently. Then I studied for 3 years in German-speakingSwitzerland. I had had some German classes but could not speak well at all. in spite of that, in some German classes, I got higher grades than most of the native German speakers! So don't worry, you'll be OK!!!!

Answer 2

its the scariest moment in my life. i'm indonesian and we don't speak english at all. ok, i learned english little bit back then, but that didn't mean that i can speak english.

the first time i went to school here at chicago, i barely spoke at all. i didn't want to talk to anyone beside indonesian people. it was hard for me to learn anything at school.

but at some point, i was totally tired of not being able to talk at all. i took an ESL class and there were bunch of people that couldn't speak english. i practiced everyday. and now, i'm improving in so many ways. my english still so-so but i'm trying hard to learn english.

Answer 3

Terrifying - and exhausting beyond belief. It takes a huge amount out of you to always have to concentrate on what everyone around you is saying and how you need to respond.

And an experience I wouldn't have missed for the world.