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Whether for school or work, living in another country on your own has its ups and downs. Millennials Tom Cordero, Ivy Domopoy, and Maruf Ahmed tell what it's like to be away from home. Read on!

As we grow older, many of us have always wanted to live independently and make our own decisions. For some, they'd take it a notch higher by moving to a new place or another country.

Whether for school or work, living in another country on your own has its ups and downs. There's the homesickness, the adjustment period, and other factors that you have to go through before getting comfortable.

We talked to three young people who have experienced and are currently living alone abroad, and they shared what it was like in their first month, how they adjusted, and some advice for those who also want to make the big move.

Tom Keith Cordero, 8 months in Munich

Tom had to spend eight months in Munich, Germany as part of a student exchange program when he was taking his Master's degree six years ago.

He shares, "I spent one of my Master's semester in Technische Universität München. I arrived in September 2013 and left around April 2014.

"My first month was exciting but admittedly very stressful. There was a lot of adjusting to do. Basic tasks like laundry, grocery, and banking became a big deal since some of their processes are different from ours, not to mention the language barrier."

Now working as an IT project manager in Manila, he admits that making mistakes allowed him to adjust to his new environment.

"Being a foreign exchange student, people are more willing to help me out. I also observed how other people do stuff and I copy it. Google will be your best friend to research information to making adjusting a bit easier. On a personal level, just be open to new experiences and use a lot of common sense."

Looking back, he shares that being cut from his support system was the hardest part of living alone.

"No one is there to help you if something happens, no one to talk to during the early phases, no one to help you out when you get sick. I remember when I arrived in Munich, I missed the bus going to the dorms so I took another method of going there. The dorm office which was supposed to give me my keys is only open until noon. I arrived at 12:30 pm. I ran while carrying all my luggage but still arrived late. Luckily, the dorm officer waited for me or else I won't have a place to stay for the weekend."

Once his first month passed, Tom started to become more confident in exploring the country.

"I became confident in buying stuff and I already know where the cheaply priced items are. Commuting was already easy since I found out there are apps to help you with this. On weekends, I joined groups of people who go to out of town trips to save costs."

Ivy Rose Domopoy, 9 months in Kuala Lumpur

Ivy's previous solo trips inspired her to apply in her company's Asian centers, and she was accepted in their Malaysia office as an early childhood senior teacher.

She explains, "It started with my first solo travel which gave me the idea to live solo abroad. I've always wanted to grow out of my comfort zone so I gave it a shot to be independent.

"My first month felt like I was just traveling around. I was still in awe that my dream to live abroad had come true."

Being well traveled help her adjust easily to Malaysian culture, and like Tom, being outside her comfort zone was challenging.

"When you're used to traveling, it would be easier to adjust to your new environment -- from people to local dishes. The hardest part is that you have to rely much on yourself. You grow out of your comfort zone, which helps you become more mature in decision making.

"I entertained myself by exploring my new home. I taught myself to commute and tried local dishes. The adjustment was more on the clothing since Malaysia is a conservative country, and eating spicy food."

Maruf Ahmed, 3.5 years in Sabah

When Maruf Ahmed saw the tuition fees of the government universities in Malaysia, he didn't think twice about leaving Bangladesh and pursuing his studies far from home.

"The rates were reasonable, so I thought why not? It would be a great experience and seemed like a good deal.

"The first month was quite difficult and challenging for me. It was a different environment, food, people and new responsibilities. I was also feeling so homesick so I went back home after the first month," he reveals.

The Software Engineering student from Universiti Malaysia Sabah eventually learned to adjust.

"Slowly I started to make new friends and I also learned the language, so it became like a second home to me. Now it's okay, I'm used to this life. It's not as challenging anymore like the first month."

Advice for those who want to live alone abroad

"You must really want it! Because being away from home will definitely put you in the most uncomfortable situations of your life. Be mature enough to grow out of your comfort zone," says Ivy.

For Maruf, it's all about making new friends and respecting the local culture. "Try to befriend new people, make new friends. But always be careful when trusting people. Respect and try to embrace the new culture."

When it comes to financial matters, Tom advises on cooking your own meals. "In developing countries, labor is much more expensive than raw produce as opposed to third world countries like ours where labor is cheap. Eating in restaurants is much more costly since we avail of labor. You'd be surprised at the amount of money you can save by preparing your own meals."