“The 7 years’ experience abroad”

My story abroad

The story starts in August 2010 with a 6 months’ Erasmus study abroad program at the University of Stavanger in Norway, as a challenging experience to live and study in a different country.

Photo: Stavanger airport

No doubt that a 6 months’ period of time, is in my opinion a short period of time in order to experience a difference and challenge yourself into a new environment. Perhaps for this reason and for the desire to improve my professional career in August 2011, I decided to come back to Norway (I had to come back to Spain to finish my Bachelor Degree) and pursue a Master of Science in International Hotel and Tourism Leadership. Then in August 2015, I decided to move to Ås (a municipality close to Oslo) to study a 2nd Master of Science in International Relations at NMBU. (photo 3-4 UiS and NMBU)

Photo: University of Stavanger

Photo: Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)

From August 2011 until September 2017 when I finished my studies in Norway, I worked in the country to pay my living expenses and also got involved into several student and international organizations. The last position I hold was as the leader of the student organization that worked towards a positive inclusion of international students in the country. The main reason for this involvement was to be part of the Norwegian society and the international environment, besides helping other students as many did with me the first time that I came to Norway, because as Anna Frank explained in her diary “No one has ever become poor by giving”.

Photo: Anna Frank photo. Source: http://www.annefrank.org/

The challenge to come back home

“All good things come to an end?”

Later on, in September 2017 when I made the public defense of master thesis (add link) at NMBU, and when in weeks after I got the official result that I succeeded, I could say that I graduated as a master of science student. That was the moment when I could say that I officially I finished my experience of almost 7 years in Norway, however I came back to my home city Sabadell in Spain at the end of June 2017.

Meanwhile, from the end of June until September 2017 while I was preparing the public defense of my master thesis, I started to think what was going to be the next step or challenge as someone would say. From September 2017 until next May 2018 I am doing a Post-Degree in Diplomacy, in order to specialize from my previous studies in International Relations. Despite the only way to pursue this post-degree was either in Madrid or Barcelona (as mandatory for a Spanish citizen), I decided to do it in Barcelona because my home city is located about 20km distance. This will allow me also to be closer to my family after so many years abroad, when we barely meet every 6 months or we had to do phone calls or Skype conferences. Those who are abroad can understand what means missing your family, just multiply this for seven years and you will understand the feeling and how much I wanted to come back home … at least for some time.

Photo: Welcoming new international students to the University of Stavanger (August 2014)

But why I say “… at least for some time”?

When you live abroad for such a long period of time as that was my case, is a fact that you learn new things from so many people from different nationalities. Your personality, way of thinking and life style changes, no doubt about it and just be sure this will happen sooner or later.

Furthermore, every time that I went back home I was questioning myself if I was going back home or on holidays, because I really missed my life and also challenges facing in Norway. Things like asking buses to stop waving your hand, instead of talking sometime in Spanish I replied in English or Norwegian, not talking in trains or buses other things that while living in Norway I was used to do, made me realize that I was changing myself. Slowly, but I was changing even that at first sight I couldn´t notice it. If you add to this my experience of 7 years working with people from more than 100 nationalities, including a two-years consecutive work both in 2013 and 2014 to stop the introduction of tuition fees for international students in the country, you will understand quite easily that every year went I was getting more embedded into a new environment. Moreover, I was getting more close and used to the Norwegian society and living abroad, but at the same time I was missing the perspective of being at home in Spain.

Photo: "Nei til skolepenger" (no to tuition fees campaign for international students in Norway during 2013)

Living abroad is an unforgettable and unique learning experience

Photo: Hiking to Preikestolen in Norway with international students in 2014

I changed myself as explained above, and I’m very happy and proud of what I achieved as the two master studies programs, a wide professional and personal experience, many new friends and some that I’m sure will have a high professional experience (that I acquired a wide personal and professional network, but most important at all with confidence and trust).

But the family missing experience, such as missing my niece learning to crawl, walk or talk, helping my family when needed… those moments that I was not there to be part, is something I know that I will not get back again and that I will always miss. But living abroad is understanding, and also taking a deep thought about accepting that you will miss something, but at the same time that you will learn something new that will enrich yourself. And that is a balancing decision that everyone is thinking to move abroad must do, and have a personality to overcome it and bring you a positive balance.

Is not easy, and however I succeeded, I have seen many people that struggled in the process to get used to a new environment, but there are people to help you. Universities where I studied and student organizations I worked with worked with are year after year improving in this helping process, so the students coming to a new country feel as home as soon as possible, and have a positive personal, study and professional experience.

Looking for the next to happen

“So what will come next?”

Photo: Enjoying a sunny August in Stavanger with international students

I came back home to Spain for a year because I felt that I needed to “recharge batteries” while being closer to home with my family. I must also remember how much involved I was involved last years into student politics, studies and work. Now I can say that I am ready to the next step in my life full of energy again.

Should I stay in Spain or move abroad? Should I work in this organization or in this other one? Should I … or should I? It’s all about so many questions around my head, and however some were not being clear to me, there is one thing for sure. That is that after 9 months back home in Spain, I feel that I am ready to give a clearer answer to this question and write this article. I just felt that I needed some time to think about it. This moment arrived now, and the real question might not be “should or should?”, but rather “how do you feel here and in another place?”. When you live abroad, your feelings change. But let’s be clear and honest, because is not the same your home after a long time abroad, and now I am sure I can live anywhere I want.

Photo: Meeting more than 400 international students at the University of Stavanger

When I answer myself “how do I feel here and in another place?”, I try to answer myself as what will I learn in a new job and place, and that’s my focus right now. The importance is not really the place (not saying will work anywhere), but rather my goal is that after such a long period of time balancing job and family, I need to be sure that it will be worth to move to a new place. I am currently doing two things, evaluating job offers and applying to others I consider might be interesting to me. The challenge the following months will be not to accept one or another offer, move to a new place or stay close home, will be to answer “what will I learn in a new place?”. Because that’s the question took me those 9 months to understand was the key point on my next job decision. Will this mean I will move abroad? Or should I say better I will move to a place where I will learn something new and feel valued? That last question is worth for me to consider in my future.

Photo: Meeting organized for 17 Embassies, Norwegian Ministry of Education, Centre for Internationalization of Education in Norway (SiU) and ANSA

Because the best reward I got after living many years abroad, is that I learned so much during my studies and work experience, but from so many different people I had the pleasure to meet and some of them became closer friends. I want to continue doing this, and learning non-stop, because as Michelangelo said at age 87 “I am still learning”, and I am still eager to learn.

Daniel Hernández Iniesta

E.mail: daniel.hndez@gmail.com

LinkedIn profile: https://no.linkedin.com/in/danielhernandeziniesta/en

March 2017