Read the first part here!

2) The Emotional Toll

Beyond the financial cost, the emotional toll is worth discussing as well. It is natural to be fearful about living abroad. There's a mix of excitement and fear of the unknown. However, fear quickly subsides once you have settled into your new life and routine abroad.

What continues to plague you is loneliness.

If you go to a country with seasons, “winter blues” will hit you when it's dark outside, but not even 4 p.m. If you travel to a country with a different time-zone, it may be difficult to call your family because they might be asleep when you’re awake, and vice versa.

Different countries have different cultures, different senses of humour, etc. While getting to know people at a surface level may not be too difficult, some of us may find it challenging to draw closer to our newfound friends. If you are going abroad for a full degree while also returning home during the holidays, you may start to feel like you neither belong here nor there. You may begin to feel like you are not that close to anyone at home nor overseas.

Yet, comfort from overseas brethren

Paradoxically, these experiences make living alone overseas so precious. In these moments, you can truly experience the love of church members and youths who take you in and treat you as their own. I have been more than well-fed and well-cared for by church uncles, aunties, and older youths. I have learnt more about myself and have learnt so much from the other church youths.

More importantly, in these moments, we can strengthen our personal relationship with God. When we have no one to turn to, we learn to turn to God. The loneliness of living abroad helps us appreciate that Jesus truly is all the world to us.

There are countless testimonies of how youths living alone abroad in a University build a strong relationship with God.

3) The Spiritual Dangers

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you need to be sure of your spiritual state and resolve to keep the faith. If we are going to church because our parents tell us to, chances are, going overseas will be an excellent opportunity to be free from our parents’ nagging.

The Western world, in particular, may have vices that are more easily accessible there than in Singapore. The party, drinking, and casual sex culture is a lot more open and "in your face". Some student councils will send you emails telling you when to go clubbing together, where to get inappropriate things, etc. Not getting involved with these things comes with the risk of being left out and not having many close friends in the world.

Even if we do not get engaged in all these vices, other countries do have many new novel experiences awaiting us, as well as many opportunities for us to pursue.

Though these things are not bad in themselves (e.g., getting really involved in the Arts culture in the UK), they can still unknowingly become spiritual idols which draw us away from God.

Reflection Questions:

• Why do we want to study overseas? Is it because of the University's name? Is it because of the allure of the world? Or do we want to grow in our faith?

Read about the benefits of studying abroad here!