For most of my life, I was certain that I would study, live, and work in my home country. I genuinely love it and have always believed that many people underestimate the opportunities available there.
However, during my final year of Secondary School, I began thinking about what it would be like to live abroad. The idea felt exciting: a new country, unfamiliar people, different cultures, and the challenge of building an independent life.
Eventually, I realised that studying abroad was the perfect way to experience another part of the world while gaining valuable knowledge and skills.
My intention was never simply to leave home forever. I wanted to learn, grow, and collect international experience that I could one day bring back and use in my own country.
Once I had made this decision, another challenge appeared: choosing where to go.
I already knew what I wanted to study, so I began searching for a university and programme that suited me. I considered Italy and Denmark, but eventually chose the Netherlands.
The most important reason was finding a programme that genuinely interested me. I was also attracted by how widely English is spoken and by the beauty and atmosphere of Dutch cities.
Of course, I still had doubts. Moving abroad is a major decision, and at some point you simply have to choose whether to take the opportunity.
The next stage involved collecting documents, researching the process, and preparing for the move. Kastu supported me greatly during this period.
The team answered all my questions, followed my application, and managed the formal admission procedure. Honestly, I barely noticed how complicated the process might otherwise have been.
I uploaded the required documents, prepared my motivation letter, collected recommendations, and waited for the decision.
Then the positive answer arrived: I had been accepted.
The beginning of my studies was filled with challenges, surprises, excitement, and moments of homesickness.
One of the things that impressed me most was the international environment. Within only a few days, I met people from many different countries and cultural backgrounds.
Every conversation introduced me to another way of thinking, living, and seeing the world. The diversity around me became an important part of my education, even outside the classroom.
After several months, I could already see how different the teaching approach was.
My programme was strongly focused on practical learning. We worked in teams of designers and completed realistic projects in which we applied the theoretical knowledge gained during classes.
Instead of only learning concepts and repeating them during an examination, we had to demonstrate that we understood how to use them.
The assessment system was also unusual. We were evaluated approximately every five weeks, and some assessments were organised almost like professional job interviews with a panel of evaluators.
This required serious preparation, but it also encouraged us to understand the material more deeply.
You could not rely only on memorisation. You had to explain your decisions, defend your ideas, and show that you genuinely understood your work.
I studied in The Hague, a city that quickly became one of my favourite parts of the experience.
It felt balanced and comfortable. There were always people and activities around, but the city rarely felt overwhelmingly crowded or noisy. It was lively without being exhausting.
For me, life in the Netherlands could never replace life at home. But during this stage of my life, it became an ideal environment for new friendships, challenges, personal growth, and the beginning of an independent adult life.
Studying abroad taught me that leaving your country does not mean rejecting it.
Sometimes you need distance to understand what you value about home. At the same time, international experience can give you knowledge, confidence, and perspectives that you may later bring back with you.
To anyone deciding whether to stay or leave, I would suggest asking yourself whether you are ready for challenges, surprises, and new experiences.
Studying abroad is a major investment in your personality. It changes how you see the world, how you understand different people, and how confidently you take responsibility for your own life.
The hardest part is often taking the first step and getting on the plane.
Once you arrive, begin your studies, and meet the people around you, many of the fears that seemed so serious before leaving suddenly become much smaller.
Be brave enough to begin. The rest will gradually fall into place.
