u/Scared-Zone-8811

In my country (Latin America), it is common for Master's and PhD students to join a research topic that was already designed by the advisor, so I did not create my own thesis topic from scratch.

Because of that, I wonder whether it would be considered inappropriate or bad etiquette to pursue a research period abroad during my PhD so I could enjoy academic events, learn new techniches and get collabs on my thesis or future papers.

I ask because I already applied to one exchange call for Europe and I wasn't selected. When I applied, it felt like I was doing something inappropriate, because my PI (Supervisor) made negative comments. He did not even review my application.

I'm seeking partners in Europe without his support and I wonder if I'm wrong since my thesis topic is not really "mine".

I'm a PhD student in a developing country in the Southern Cone.

In academic circles, the PhD life in developed countries is often portrayed as a serious job involving professional management, productivity metrics, and regular meetings. Comparing this ideal to my reality is deeply frustrating.

My experience has been incredibly solitary. I work with dry lab so it means I don't need to be physically present, but we also lack any routine for virtual or in-person meetings. As a result, I barely know my fellow grad and lab researchers. To me, science shouldn't be a solo journey, and this lack of structure and management is causing a personal crisis.

I find the absence of routine check-ins strange. Is this common for you? I attribute this to a "non-existent" management model where there is no real sense that our work is significant.

Is this normal? How does lab/program management and supervising work in your country?