The End of a Chapter

Once I am finished with uni, I plan to come back to Czech Republic and stay there for a couple of years, at least until I figure out what I would like to do next. Now that I have almost reached the end of this chapter of my life, I can start answering the fundamental question – was it worth it?

Let’s be honest, moving to a foreign country and leaving your friends and family behind is not easy at all. The same goes for settling there. This type of education is not cheap, even with the generous foundation support. And after all, it‘s still (at least) three years you will be spending here as opposed to three years back home. You will be uprooted from the culture you have known all your life and moved to somewhere where you might never really feel “at home“.

And yet, despite all these obstacles, despite the fact that I have made the decision not to stay in Scotland after finishing uni, I have to say – yes. It was well worth it.

Sure, I could have studied a similar programme back home and I would probably end up learning about as much. But this Scottish adventure made has made me a better person. I gained experience that I would not gain in Czech Republic. I met people I would hardly meet otherwise. I was forced to overcome obstacles that would not be there if I never left. I have become more independent, responsible, confident and empathetic. I am now capable of handling whatever life throws at me with much more calm and certainty. This all stems from the knowledge that I have achieved something genuinely difficult – creating a plan spanning several years and following through on it until reaching my goal. And this knowledge is something I will keep until the end of my life, no matter where it takes me.