10 reasons why you should study in a foreign country
Have you considered studying abroad, but are not sure whether it's worth your time? If you ask anybody who has studied abroad, he or she will most certainly tell you that it is a life-changing experience and one of the most rewarding things he or she has ever done. Perhaps you're not certain what benefits you can reap from an extended stay in a foreign country. Here are 10 very excellent reasons why you should take the plunge:
1. Study abroad is the optimal way to learn a language. There is no better and more effective way to learn a language than to be immersed in a culture that speaks the language you are learning. You're surrounded by the language on a daily basis and are seeing and hearing it in the proper cultural context. Language learning happens most quickly under these circumstances. [Read why you should learn a language.]
2. Study abroad provides the opportunity to travel. Weekends and academic breaks allow you to venture out and explore your surroundings - both your immediate and more distant surroundings. Since studying abroad often puts you on a completely different continent, you are much closer to places you might otherwise not have had the opportunity to visit. Some more structured study abroad programs even have field trips planned in or around the curriculum.
3. Study abroad allows you get to know another culture first-hand. Cultural differences are more than just differences in language, food, appearances, and personal habits. A person's culture reflects very deep perceptions, beliefs, and values that influence his or her way of life and the way that s/he views the world. Students who experience cultural differences personally can come to truly understand where other cultures are coming from.
4. Study abroad will help you develop skills and give you experiences a classroom setting will never provide. Being immersed in an entirely new cultural setting is scary at first,
but it's also exciting. It's an opportunity to discover new strengths and abilities,
conquer new challenges, and solve new problems. You will encounter situations that are wholly unfamiliar to you and will learn to adapt and respond in effective ways.
5. Study abroad affords you the opportunity to make friends around the world. While abroad, you will meet not only natives to the culture in which you are studying, but also other international students who are as far from home as yourself.
6. Study abroad helps you to learn about yourself. Students who study abroad return home with new ideas and perspectives about themselves and their own culture. The experience abroad often challenges them to reconsider their own beliefs and values. The experience may perhaps strengthen those values or it may cause students to alter or abandon them and embrace new concepts and perceptions. The encounter with other cultures enables students to see their own culture through new eyes.
7. Study abroad exp
ands your worldview. In comparison with citizens of most other countries, Americans tend to be uninformed about the world beyond the nation's boundaries. Students who study abroad return home with an informed and much less biased perspective toward other cultures and peoples.
8. Study abroad gives you the opportunity to break out of your academic routine. Study abroad is likely to be much unlike what you are used to doing as a student. You may become familiar with an entirely new academic system and you will have the chance to take courses not offered on your home campus. It's also a great opportunity to break out the monotony of the routine you follow semester after semester.
9. Study abroad enhances employment opportunities. Did you know that only 4% of U.S. undergraduates ever study abroad? Yet, the world continues to become more globalized, American countries are increasingly investing dollars abroad, and companies from countries around the world continue to invest in the international market. Through an employer's seyes, a student who has studied abroad is self-motivated, independent, willing to embrace challenges, and able to cope with diverse problems and situations. Your experience living and studying in a foreign country, negotiating another culture, and acquiring another language will all set you apart from the majority of other job applicants. [Read about careers in foreign languages.]
10. Study abroad can enhance the value of your degree. While abroad, you can take courses you would never have had the opportunity to take on your home campus. In addition, study abroad gives your language skills such a boost that it is normally quite easy to add a minor in a language or even a second major without having to take many more additional courses after the return to your home campus.
Why Study Abroad?
Besides the excitement of travel, one reason to study abroad is that you will experience new customs, holidays, foods, art, music, and politics firsthand.
"Obviously, I learned the language and am now fluent, but perhaps more importantly was how much I learned about cultures, people, and myself. I learned this from the viewpoint of an active member of the community and my [host] family, not from the tourist's point of view," says Andrew, who studied in Poitiers, France.
Another reason for studying abroad is that you'll gain self-confidence. Christina studied in Caracas, Venezuela, a city of 10 million people and a huge change from her hometown of 35,000! Christina says she learned how to better stand up for herself and her beliefs and to express herself in another language. What could make you more confident than that?
Living away from home can also help you adjust in the transition to college and adulthood. Matthew says he returned from studying in Australia with confidence, social savvy, and a genuine interest in international affairs that really set him apart from his peers. "After having gone abroad in high sch
ool, I found the transition to college to be a breeze - moving 560 miles from home didn't seem particularly daunting after having lived thousands of miles away."
And speaking of college, improving your language skills might help you get into choice colleges and even land future jobs. Colleges and employers know that studying abroad provides leadership skills in a world that is increasingly globally interconnected.
Most of all, it's fun! You're not likely to suffer from sophomore slump or general boredom while you're studying in a different learning environment.
Are You a Good Candidate?
Although many programs have academic requirements, you usually don't have to have the highest grades or marks to be eligible. And most programs do not have language requirements.
Who you are is as important as your academic record. Study abroad programs look for students who are independent, self-assured, enjoy new experiences and different types of people, and can handle challenges. When you study in a foreign country, you'll be faced with new circumstances, environments, and predicaments. Ask yourself:
Am I willing to try new things - everything from foods to social situations?
Am I comfortable making my own decisions, such as what time to leave for school, which courses to take, and how to deal with conflict and change, without family or friends around to help?
Do I like to take risks?
How have I handled complex and new situations in the past?
If you really hate change and don't like the idea of figuring things out all on your own, then studying abroad may not be for you. It's important to really think about your comfort zone and to be honest with yourself - you could end up miserable far away from home if you aren't! Of course, if you want to change those things about yourself and don't mind tackling them head on, then studying abroad may be an ideal way to take the plunge.
Don't let a little anxiety stop you from considering the possibility of a summer, semester, or year abroad, though. Matthew says he will never forget sitting in the airport about to board a plane bound for Melbourne. "I felt overwhelmed, terrified, and thrilled at the same time," he says. "In the end, though, the rewards of living overseas far outweigh the initial uncertainties."
Applying to a Program
Specific application procedures vary from program to program. In most cases, program personnel design applications and interviews to find out if you're a good fit for the program and a host family, if you'll be staying with one. You might need to answer questions on past obstacles you've encountered and what you've learned from these experiences or write an introductory letter to your potential host family.
You will need to provide personal and school references, health information, and practices (for example, if you have allergies or are a vegetarian). Your parents also may need to tell the program personnel how they feel about your studying abroad. You'll
also have to go through interviews with schools or sponsoring organizations.
Pitching the Idea to Your Parents
Are you convinced that a year abroad is for you, but you're worried that your parents will never go for it? Use some of the points of view that sold you on the idea to help them understand why you want to study overseas. Point out that studying abroad is a chance of a lifetime and that it offers great academic opportunities - including learning a second language.
You might also sell them on the idea that students in study abroad programs gain experiences by being in a new culture, broaden their horizons, and increase their maturity and self-confidence levels. Study abroad students have an educational edge when entering college or starting careers - where language skills, cross-cultural experiences, and global outlooks are becoming essential.
If your parents are worried that you'll miss a year of school, won't get credit later, or will be stuck in a foreign country without help or supervision, explain that most of these programs are experienced in helping teens get the most out of their year abroad. Many study abroad programs are well established - the American Field Service (AFS) student exchange program has been been around for more than 50 years.
Study abroad students are well supervised. Programs usually have offices in host countries, many with 24-hour hotlines. Host families are chosen carefully to meet specific students' needs.
Finding a Program
There are hundreds of programs through organizations like AFS, Youth for Understanding (YFU), American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), and the Rotary Club. (Click on the Resources tab to see a partial list.) These organizations and lots more are online - so try a Web search. You can call or write for catalogs.
Other sources of information are school counselors, religious organizations, teachers, librarians, family, and friends. Ask them for recommendations.
But check out programs early - applications can be due 4 to 9 months in advance. Age requirements vary, although students are usually in the 15- to 22-year age range. Program costs can vary, too. But don't let cost scare you away. Many programs have substantial scholarships available, but make sure you apply early. Some programs help students raise money from schools and local organizations.
Staying Healthy Abroad
Depending on where you are going there are a number of suggested immunizations. You and your doctor or a travel medicine specialist should decide which vaccinations are appropriate for you. Make sure to get this information early (several weeks or even months before traveling, if possible) to give yourself enough time to get the vaccines you need.
Travel health insurance is also available in case you become ill or get hurt while you are away. Most plans include a 24-hour hotline for assistance with doctors, dentists, and other health concerns.
Drink bottled water and avoid raw foods. Y
ou may want to pack products like antiseptic ointment, over-the-counter pain medication, contact lens solution, and adhesive bandages. Don't forget prescription drugs or items like inhalers if you have asthma. And it's a good idea to see your dentist before departure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer information on traveling abroad at their website. Click on the Resources tab to learn more.
In addition to preparing physically, don't neglect your emotional health. Consider journal writing to help process your experience. And prepare for culture shock when you return - you've grown and so have friends and family. You'll also miss your host family and friends.
Prepare yourself for these feelings by getting support from family, friends, a counselor, or another student who has spent time abroad.
Returning the Favor
If you've studied abroad and want to be a host yourself, or if you've decided you don't want to travel but would like the chance to learn about another culture, your family may be a candidate to host a student. Families fill out applications and interview with organization representatives, reviewing profiles (or videos) of students who might be a good fit.
Whether you host a student or study abroad yourself, you're sure to see the world in a new way.