Difficulties And Benefits Of Studying Abroad

With globalization, more and more students want to leave their home environment to go study abroad. These trips are most often in the form of scholarships and student exchanges. This exercise is so widespread that one wonders whether or not to advocate such a practice.

Studies abroad offer a great risk given the unknown nature of the environment of the destination. However, international experience is strongly recommended to be able to face the stakes and the evolutions of a globalized economy. In this sense, this practice offers opportunities both personally and professionally. Also, studies abroad allow dealing with an unknown environment, which will have to prove their ability to adapt. This allows, in this case, personal and educational development. On the one hand, the experience abroad is an excellent way to acquire and develop a certain self-confidence, an openness to others and thus reveal a certain lack of flexibility. Globalization has not totally standardized most cultures. Everyone keeps his specificities. It may be interesting to discover other ways of life; it will give a greater openness. Because, this experience is sure to risk in a midst not known, but it is also able to push its limits.

Studying abroad is well known to increase maturity and self-confidence. People always say, “You will come back a new person!” “It will completely change your life!” and it is true. According to Ruth Kinloch in the article 55 Study Abroad Statistics. 95% of students stated that studying abroad served as increased maturity, and 96% reported an increase in self-confidence. Moreover, it helps you to gain independence, from learning how to use public transportation or communicate with all types of people will show you how capable you are. (Kinloch, #2) Secondly, you will develop a better understanding of other cultures and views of the world. For example, on the website HULT BLOGS, the author Mark Twain said: ‘Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness” by saying this statement, he wanted to say that the understanding of other cultures is essential. (Reynolds #3) It will help you to understand today’s most pressing global issues, learning a new environment will challenge your assumptions and introduce you to new ways to learn about the world. On top of that, you will find new things that these countries do better than your own country, and you can incorporate those into your daily life.

After, one big goal of studying abroad is to showcase your training. In the age of globalization, an international career is more valuable to the recruiter. This shows that you are autonomous, open-minded with a certain intellectual curiosity. Studying abroad is also having to be resourceful and adaptable. Highly sought-after qualities in the world of work. Besides, this experience abroad will be a way to differentiate yourself from others and make you more easily a place in the job market. Referring to the article 10 real benefits of studying abroad, a study showed that 90% of students who studied abroad found employment faster than general graduating people (49%), furthermore study abroad students landed starting salaries that were $7000 higher, on average, than non-study abroad students.

Learning a new language can be difficult, It requires long daily practice. The most efficient way to learn it is to stay in the country for several months or years and talk with the people around you. By studying abroad, you will have to communicate with local people and taking classes in this language, it will increase your knowledge and language skills. In addition, it will help you with your future carrier by making more money. As the article “What is a foreign language worth?” learning a foreign language can earn you on average, a 2% “language bonus” on your salary throughout your lifetime. (R.L.G Berlin #2)

Nowadays thanks to social media, oceans are no longer a barrier to stay in touch. While you will study in a different country, you will meet new people and make lifelong friends. Not having your family next to you every day can be hard, but your new friends will become your second family. In accordance with the article from Emma Shafer “Why the friends you make while studying abroad will last a lifetime.” People tend to find that the friends they make abroad remain of their closest lifelong friends. (Shafer #4) Some reasons are because they will be the persons you will see every single day. You will share with them the best memories of your life. They are the ones who are right next to you when you will do something crazy or say something that makes no sense. Moreover, apart from making good friends, studying abroad makes you expand your network. You will collaborate with students from all over the world and will be able to expand your network considerably to people from all countries, backgrounds, and skills. Who knows later if you are not going to work closely with one of them? For this, Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and all the new social networks will help you stay in touch. Also, building a good relationship with your professors can be helpful for your future carrier. For example, if your major is entrepreneurship and you meet someone with the same major maybe later you will build a business together.

As an athlete, studying abroad can be the most amazing experience in life. For example, the United States offers a good opportunity for student-athletes who wants to continue competitive sports after high school. Almost every single University in America gives athletics scholarships to international students to represent their schools in sports. According to the website Athletic Scholarship, schools give athletic scholarships to 100 international students every single year. In fact, more than 150,000 student-athletes receive 2,4 billion dollars in athletic scholarships from the universities who are part of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). Furthermore, being apart of a University team in America is much more different than your home country. It will allow student-athletes to travel all over the country every season. Some schools go to California, Florida, Hawaii or sometimes even different countries like Mexico. This national and international visibility allows some to open doors and create an incredible network of contacts. For instance, each year in Football and Baseball the best student-athletes are drafted to play professionally for the rest of their life. On the study side, access to university education is a huge advantage in the United States. In some countries, university fees are available, but housing, food, training are a significant budget for students while with your current sporting level, you can claim a sports scholarship in the United States allowing you to finance your studies over 4 to 5 years (in part or in full). According to a recent date, NCAA stated that 8 out of 10 student-athletes will earn a bachelor’s degree. It means that in general, student-athletes have better averages than normal students. As stated by the NCAA, more than 17,000 of the 490,000 athletes come from outside the United States. For example, a former Arizona State University diver from Vienna called Constantin Blaha said that she never thought about studying in the US until someone gave her the opportunity to do it. After spending her four years at ASU, she said it was the best experience of her life.

In conclusion, leaving your hometown family and friends to go to study in a different country can be hard. But it has many benefits as we saw in this essay, it can bring you a lot of confidence, responsibility, and independence. Extend your network by meeting new people from different countries. It will be easier to find a job after graduation. Learning a new language, making lifelong friends that can help you in your future carrier. Finally, for an athlete, it could be the best thing that happened in their life.