So you want to work abroad? Earn your keep, boost your CV, test out teaching or humanitarian work for a living? But there’s one hitch, the kind of hitch that keeps over 1 million people in the UK from working at all: mental illness. But it doesn’t have to be like that; you should never, ever ditch the dream to pander to that serotonin level or that voice or those shakes! Hell, a year abroad can and almost certainly will make you stronger. Here are some tips and observations on working abroad with a mental health issue.

When I told everyone that I was going to be studying Journalism and Russian, a lot of people didn’t think I was going to get very far. It wasn’t because they didn’t think I was clever enough or dedicated enough: they just knew that I’d had poor mental health for most of my life. They worried that this much stress could just prove too much. Sometimes even I wondered if I was doing the right thing. But, if you’re reading this article, then probably, like me, you decided that a few health problems weren’t going to stop you from doing those things that you always wanted – including your Year Abroad.

Moving abroad, for any amount of given time, can be quite scary, especially for first-timers. You’ll have lots to think about, from where to stay to how to commute, with plenty of ups and downs in between. Travel, for the most part, will be done on weekends and/or during the holiday season. Regardless of how far you get to go, here are a few pointers so as to keep your belongings safe (as well as your person), avoid accidents abroad and most important of all, try not to get ripped off...Although most countries are safe, it’s still advisable to keep these tips in mind, just in case. After all, better safe than sorry (Ok, enough with the idioms...).