Why You Need to Study Abroad
Hello everyone!
I would have to say this topic is practically why this website exists. I remember the anticipation of take off and the magic of landing in new terrain. I have to mention that was my first time out of the country and it was such a humbling experience (given I also worked really hard to pay for that trip). I have been learning French basically my whole life and I finally had a chance to test it out. I was the only student on the trip who spoke it well and I had moments where natives prefered speaking to me instead of whoever I was with simply because I knew their language. When I traveled to Mexico last year, it was a bit easier because I was going to visit a friend who was from there, but I did have moments where I was out by myself which forced me out of my comfort zone to use what I knew. I’m sharing with you some of my main takeaways as to why it’s so worth it to study abroad.
1. Forces you to listen more
As I always say, you cannot learn to speak if you don’t know how to listen. When I first arrived at the Charles de Galle airport, I was excited to be there, but my confidence wasn’t the best. I was forced to pay attention to what people where saying since listening comprehension is my weaknesses. I remember grabbing lunch with a group of people after a church service and just listening to them talk among themselves trying to fully understand what they were talking about. Also when you listen more, you learn more.
2. It can change or even challenge your way of thinking
One of the things that intrigued me about French culture is how their social lives revolve around food. They take their time and they’re not always rushing to work themselves to death. Everyone takes their time enjoying meals together and are able to have a life after work. When I got back to The States, I wasn’t too thrilled about going back into a workaholic country where everyone’s eating processed food on the go while working underpaid jobs. Being exposed to a different culture can make you reflect on your own lifestyle in such a positive way. I remember the time I went to Mexico I was so sad to go back to LA because the people were actually taking the time to speak to people reminding me of my Kentucky roots. My friend’s mom told me that if you meet someone in the eye, you say “hola”, you didn’t have to worry about locking your car doors because you practically knew everyone around you. It made me realize how much we can seriously undervalue the importance of building strong genuine relationships.
3. Can be great for your career
Exposure to another language and culture has the ability to make you more appealing to companies that have international branches. This is because if they need someone to travel to a particular country it’s usually best to send someone who knows how to get around and is familiar with essential formalities of being in that country. Better yet, if you can also speak the language, you have more job opportunties available when the job description lists a language requirement. For those of you like me on the entrepreneurial side, you have the ability to develop business relationships you can come back to in the future should you want to expand your ventures outside the U.S.
4. Gain Outside Perspectives of Your Own Country
When you have the opportunity to make friends with the locals, it can be refreshing to know what viewpoints outsiders might have about American ways of life. I remember asking someone I went on a date with what he thought about Trump (reassuring him that wasn’t who I voted for) and he told me that he wouldn’t be sitting with me if I voted for him. He then went on to say how France is a feminist country, they believe in equal pay, everyone being able to afford cost of living, and whatnot. I also learned it’s okay to go to bar and have a drink after church. Drinking is a part of their culture in the social sense, but not in the way of what we think of drinking in the United States. It’s perfectly normal to go to a bar, have a glass of wine, and enjoy each others’ company not to mention meals are almost always accompanied by a drink.
5. Tests what you know
This one is a no-brainer, but you get to test how good you really are and evaluate what you need to work on. When I was traveling to France, I knew French pretty well, but listening kept getting the best of me. I realized I needed to focus more of my attention on speech patterns. People will have a propensity to speak quickly and slur words making it hard for someone who doesn’t speak the language natively to fully understand what’s been said. It’s most certainly humbling because it’s a reminder that I DON’T know everything and realize we’re all a work in progress piece of art.
I hope this helps you come to a clearer decision of whether you or someone you know should participate in a study abroad program. It’s important to understand the world is full of opportunites to connect and impact people.