Many people dream of traveling the world and immersing themselves in new cultures. However, with college, graduate school, career paths and whatever else life presents, traveling can seem hard to fit into a busy schedule. Fortunately, the majority of colleges offer study abroad programs, which allow students to spend time studying in another country. Studying abroad is extremely beneficial for a student because the experience gives him or her a chance to expand his or her horizons and step into another culture. In addition, these programs present an opportunity to travel, something that might be difficult after leaving school. Furthermore, students who study overseas can gain valuable work experience in a place other than their home.
“Last summer, I visited Peru to do community service for local villages,” said junior Alanna Price. “Like the benefits of study abroad programs, this experience gave me the ability to solely rely on myself, which is true independence.”
Students who travel internationally are given the rare opportunity to become part of another world while studying their intended major. The opportunity to visit other countries and interact closely with the locals and their customs is extremely knowledgeable and eye opening. Traveling overseas widens one’s world perspective and allows him or her to be more open-minded to other cultures and traditions. Students truly become self-reliant and gain a sense of maturity while away from the familiarity of their home and family.
After graduating from an undergraduate program, most students move on to graduate school or begin their career. Following the completion of graduate school, students must find a way to make a living to sustain themselves. Once students have to focus on paying off student loans and other expenses, finding the resources and money to travel can become unfeasible for a very long time. Study abroad allows students to explore the world before they become weighed down with extreme financial burdens. Traveling is a life-changing experience in which everyone should take part at least once in his or her lifetime.
In addition, if a student studies abroad, he or she is eligible to work in that country as well as study a major. Gaining work experience in foreign country is quite beneficial because it allows a student to be more tolerant and flexible in a codependent work environment. In addition, a student can understand the operations of another country, helping to gain a better understanding of that world.
Study abroad is overall a phenomenal program that all who can should experience during young adulthood. Even if these programs seem financially out of reach, there are many monetary aid programs that can help to pay these costs. Study abroad not only helps to further one’s education but also allows one to see the world in a new light.
