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10 Th erseas u i ng v o ni v s t fo r er
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Vanessa Raphaely shares her first-hand experience...
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n the space of four chaotic months last year, my husband and I made the whirlwind decision to pull our son out of second year Mechatronics at a South African university and send him abroad, to study at Edinburgh University in Scotland. There was a flurry of reasons for the decision, not least the wholly unexpected arrival of an incredibly generous windfall, which enabled us to even contemplate such a possibility. When, as a parent, you first allow yourself to even dream of being in the position to allow a child such a privilege, it is hard to think past the positives: the doors an international degree will open; the standard of teaching your child will be exposed to; the networks they will forge; the experiences, adventures and challenges they will face… But in reality, there’s a LOT you should consider before sending in their application – the whole process left my head spinning! 07
No longer a family of 5 for dinner, his empty bedroom, the vast distance between us left at home and him, living his new uni life, and the inevitable financial cost (windfall or not!). My son is almost at the end of his first year now, and he is happy and flourishing. We (his parents and siblings) have mopped up our tears at his departure and adapted to our new reality (HOW did parents survive before the advent of WhatsApp?). However, if we had to do it again, I think I’d do it differently. Here are my top 10 tips of what to consider before taking this huge step: E DU CA T E Y O U R S E L F F I R S T Which country, which system, which university, which degree? Those are just the first questions to ask. You need help and information to make a choice that works, not just for your child, but for your family too. Start off at an Expo, such as The FOMO #12
