Many students decide to further their study abroad. What are the benefits and drawbacks of studying abroad?
What is your view on this? What do you prefer?
Many university students routinely study in other institutes around the world as part of their degrees. Although students will often struggle with cultutural and linguistic challenges while abroad, they will also gain a significant life experiences that will reward them later on their careers. In my opinion, students are far better off having studied in a different country despite the challenges that they will inevitably face.
The greatest benefit of studying abroad is that students will have life experiences that will enhance themselves as people that would have been otherwise impossible if they had have only studied in their own countries. Being in another country requires people to push themselves beyond the norm into usually difficult experiences. For instance, when I studied in Tirana as a university student, I was continually pushed out of my comfort zone into psychological states that were unique and novel and that I had to adapt no matter what. These ultra-challenging experiences are paradoxically the main advantage of studying overseas because they make you grow as a person.
The main challenges that students will face while overseas will usually stem from cultural and linguistic differences. These differences can pose massive obstacles for people because they require one to move beyond the familiar and into unknown which often be awkward and quite scary. To illustrate, while studying in Tirana I had to frequently make a fool of myself in order to communicate with the local people in their language. Oftentimes, I felt embarrased and I longed to speak English and be in the familiarity of my own culture.
Studying abroad has become incredibly common. While students will no doubt experience social and language barriers, it is in fact these barriers that lead to the main advantage of studying abroad which is personal growth. As a contradiction of sorts, it is hardship that ultimately makes the experience of studying overseas more advantageous than disatvantageous.