Applicants with Child

How would it be to study abroad with your child?

A student from Costa Rica writes about her experiences at FH JOANNEUM:

"There comes a moment in life, while you are a student, when you think what you could do to be better; to be a better person, a better student, a better human being. The globalized world where we live nowadays demands multiple skills, which you can learn from your books, your professors and work and social experiences obtained while you study.

But then, you realize there is something left behind, and after several hours of investigation you find out what is that missing piece. You need to study abroad!

Now that you know what to do, it seems easy to find where and how to go about it and then you stop and start thinking again, get a little scared and remember you are a student mother… This is the reason I am sharing a bit of my experience. Someone once told me: “Stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and start being excited about what could go right”.

In my home university in Costa Rica, there were many options to choose from in order to participate on an exchange. However, my dream was to come to Europe, and I think there is no better place to get a diverse cultural taste than Austria. So I chose to come to FH Joanneum.

First of all, in my home university, my colleagues were extremely helpful and guided me through the application process. Then, after you are elected, there comes the interesting thing. If you decide to go abroad with your child, things get a little bit more complicated. Nevertheless my daughter and I were able to go on this exciting adventure, thanks to the hard work of the FH Joanneum’s International Relations Department. I still haven’t found the words to thank them, especially Anita, because before even planning to move out, you have to know who is going to take care of the child while you study and where you are going to live.

At that moment, that’s what you need to find out, who is going to babysit and how you will find a suitable accommodation. In my experience it was the International Relations Department who helped me solve these problems, and they were so cooperative that we couldn’t have had done it better. They looked for a child-friendly apartment to live, which exceeded my expectations and a daycare for my daughter where more than taking care of her, they taught her new skills and gave so much love, I am also eternally thankful to them.

And after all, you and your little one arrive in Graz, there is always going to be an adaptation process, but that is something everyone goes through when taking this kind of experience. And yet again the International Relations Department guides you through every step (transportation, grocery and others). One of the most important things, and one of the things I was mostly concerned about, was how to find a doctor for the baby, but once you have the healthcare insurance, they also guide you on that. I had to go a couple of times to the Pediatrician, and there’s nothing to worry about, they are very supportive.

Finally, you come back home stronger. It is not easy, it demands planning and being focused on your objectives, but so is motherhood, and it is completely worth it. You come back home with new eyes to see the world, with a new perspective of how education is managed abroad, get to know so many different cultures, with personal development and some life changing experiences.

Eventually you may have many different doubts, but be calm, there is a whole commission in charge on making you feel comfortable, so you could have one of the most revealing and unforgettable experiences of your life."

- Pamela from Costa Rica