Study Abroad: Fear vs. Fact (SBCC Edition)

Picture this: you're enjoying breakfast with a stunning view of the Mediterranean before heading to your morning lecture. Your weekend plans? A train ride to a new country instead of a study session at the library. You return home with a passport full of stamps, a phone buzzing with inside jokes from friends across three continents, and a story for every job interview you'll ever have.

That's what studying abroad is all about! It's one of the most thrilling and rewarding experiences you can have in community college — and yes, it counts toward your degree. But let's be real: packing up and moving across the globe for a semester (or even a few weeks in the summer) can feel like a massive leap. The good news? The fear is usually much bigger than the reality. Here’s the truth behind the top worries, SBCC-style — plus all the amazing things nobody warns you about.

Fear: "I'll be homesick and miserable the whole time."

Fact: Missing home is completely normal — it just means you have a great life to miss! The trick is to fill your new life abroad quickly, and SBCC makes that easy. You won't be going alone; you'll travel with a group of fellow SBCC students who are just as nervous and excited as you are. Most students say homesickness fades within the first week, right around the time the group starts feeling less like classmates and more like family.

That’s the part people often underestimate: the friendships. There’s something about navigating a foreign train system together or getting lost while searching for dinner that bonds people quickly. Students consistently say the friends they meet abroad become some of the closest companions of their entire college experience — the kind you’re still texting years later, planning reunion trips to the very city where it all began.

Fear: "Where am I even going to live?"

Fact: Housing abroad is taken care of for you! Depending on the program, you might land in a dorm-style residence, a shared apartment, or with a host family. Most of the time, you can even request to room with a friend if you're both going.

Because SBCC's programs are faculty-directed, housing is arranged in advance as part of the package. You won't be left hunting for an apartment in a country where you don’t speak the language yet. Instead, you can focus your energy on the fun stuff — like figuring out which market has the best pastries or which rooftop offers the best sunset view for your next photo op.

Fear: "I don't speak the language — I'll be completely lost."

Fact: You don’t need to be fluent in another language to travel! The programs are designed specifically for English speakers. Even in places where the local language dominates, saying, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" goes a long way. Locals generally appreciate visitors who make an effort, even if it’s a bit clumsy. Butchering the pronunciation of a menu item? That’s basically a rite of passage that leads to great stories later!

SBCC also offers pre-departure information meetings before every program. You'll walk in with practical tools — not just vibes — for navigating a new language and culture. By the time you return home, saying you "picked up conversational Spanish/Italian/French while living abroad" is the kind of line that makes your resume pop!

Fear: "It's going to be way too expensive."

Fact: Cost is a real concern, but it’s rarely a dead end. Financial aid can typically be applied to study abroad programs. Scholarships specifically for study abroad students exist too — you just have to ask!

Talk to a Financial Aid advisor and the Study Abroad Office early. The sooner you start the conversation, the more options you’ll have. This way, you can stop stressing about the budget and start planning which weekend excursions you’re most excited about!

Fear: "It's just going to be classroom time in a different country."

Fact: Far from it! Excursions are built right into every program. Think guided visits to ancient ruins, museums, local markets, historical sites, and hands-on experiences you simply can't get from a textbook or a Zoom lecture. A marine biology field trip becomes a boat excursion. A history lecture transforms into standing in the actual ruins you’re studying. Your "class field trip" might even be a weekend in a completely different city!

This is the part that turns a normal semester into one you'll never stop talking about. Years from now, you won’t remember most of your Tuesday/Thursday lectures on campus — but you’ll absolutely remember the excursion where you got caught in a sudden rainstorm exploring a foreign city with your new best friends or the local festival your host family dragged you to. Those are the stories that come out at every dinner party for the rest of your life!

Fear: "I'll fall behind on my degree or lose credits."

Fact: Study abroad classes are designed to transfer, including toward the UC and CSU systems. So, a semester abroad doesn’t have to mean a semester lost! If you’ve already completed a course offered in a program, you can typically swap it for an alternative — just clear it with the study abroad office first.

Fear: "I'll miss out on everything happening back on campus."

Fact: FOMO is real, but so is the fact that you’re trading a semester of the familiar for a semester you’ll talk about for the rest of your life. Group chats, social media, and the occasional video call keep you looped in on the small stuff. Most of what you think you’ll be "missing" will still be there when you return!

Fear: "What if something goes wrong and I need help?"

Fact: You’re not on your own out there! Faculty-led programs mean an SBCC instructor is present throughout. Most programs have a service provider with local staff, and the Study Abroad Office builds in health and safety resources. Plus, you’ll have international health insurance information.

Fear: "People will think I'm just being a stereotypical tourist."

Fact: The "obnoxious tourist" reputation is easy to avoid — just show up curious instead of comfortable! Try the food. Attempt the language, even if it’s not perfect. Ask questions instead of assuming. Locals can tell the difference between someone passing through and someone genuinely trying to connect, and they tend to respond warmly to effort.

The Bonus Nobody Talks About: It Looks Incredible on a Resume

Here’s the part that matters long after your trip ends: employers notice students who studied abroad. Adapting to a new culture, solving problems without your usual support system, and communicating across a language barrier — those are the exact skills companies look for and rarely see spelled out on a typical resume. "Studied abroad" signals adaptability, independence, and initiative before you even get to the interview. In a stack of applications from students who never left campus, yours is the one with a story worth asking about!

The Bottom Line

Every one of these fears is valid — and every one of them has a workaround. Plus, there’s a payoff on the other side that’s honestly hard to put into words until you’ve lived it. SBCC has been sending students abroad since 1973, to more than 20 countries. This means whatever you’re nervous about has almost certainly been figured out by someone before you. Whatever adventure you’re hoping for has likely already happened to someone who sat exactly where you’re sitting now.

Next step: Review the available study abroad programs on the program page, set up an appointment with the Study Abroad Program Advisor, and stop by the Study Abroad Office (IE-1, 721 Cliff Drive). You can also check out an upcoming info meeting or scholarship workshop. It costs nothing to ask questions — and it might be the first step toward the semester you’ll be telling stories about for the rest of your life!