The NSAC Team members all have one thing in common- the desire to explore the world and its many opportunities. In this post, we get to follow the stories of three team members that followed their dreams and went abroad. These stories all have their own unique path, and represent the fact that there is not only one way to reach the final destination of abroad studies. Read the stories of team members Natasha, Joshua and Theodor!

Part 1 – Natasha

Where are you from?

– I am from Germany originally, but I grew up in Denmark and then in Brussels.

Where are you studying now?

– Right now I am studying at Queen Mary University of London, and I am almost done with my first year. I am studying politics with business management.

When did you first think of studying abroad?

– When I was in 9th grade. It was quite common at my school to do a couple of months abroad either in France or the UK. So I decided to go somewhere to improve my English, and went to Singapore for almost a year, and then afterwards I continued on to the UK where I went to boarding school. I haven’t really gone home since!

How did you end up where you are now? Tell us your story!

– When I was in boarding school, it was always a dream of mine to go to London. I came here and visited a few universities, and when I came to Queen Mary, I got the feeling that this was where I wanted to study, because of their campus and the courses they offered. That was my first choice, because it just felt right. I did think about some other countries, like Germany, but London was always my priority.

What have you gained from studying abroad?

– You gain a very international perspective, especially from living in London. It is so international, with people from all over the world. So many Scandinavian people as well! You meet a lot of people, and definitely learn a lot about other cultures. You just step out of your comfort zone- you are a bit on your own even though you have your friends, your family is at home and you have to make it yourself. It makes you strong, and you grow a lot.

What will you be doing in the future? What are your dreams?

– My dream is to do something that makes me happy. Nowadays everything is very competitive and can be very stressful, so my dream for the future is to find something that really makes me happy and something that I really enjoy. I would love to travel, to be honest. But I am not sure if I want to do a masters, because in London it is common to start working directly. So if I find something after my bachelor that I really enjoy, like working, and I get a good offer, I will definitely do that. Otherwise I will try to do a masters, maybe in London at a different university, or somewhere else. The good thing about masters in the UK is that they are only one year, so it is really fast. University goes fast, so I am not sure if I’m ready for the working world, or if I want to do a masters.

Number one tip to people that want to go abroad?

– Do it! Don’t let other people tell you not to. I know that it comes with a lot of cons sometimes, often the cost, but I would say that studying abroad is an investment, no matter how much you spend. It is definitely worth it, and I can just encourage people to take the opportunity, and if you don’t have one, create one.

Found Natasha’s story inspiring? Stay tuned for more team interviews!