Needa Bahkali
Effects of Studying Abroad Going to college is a dream for many people because it’s the first step for them to get a job that they want to do or to study deeply a subject that they are interested in. Some students face difficulties in finding the specific field of education that they interested in, so they have to study abroad. It’s not easy for many students to leave their family, friends, and country to achieve their dreams, to complete their higher education or even to get a job. Some students have culture shock, and others isolated themselves from the world surround them. I believe that studying abroad is good, and learning about different educational systems, learning from different cultures, and being social are obvious effects of studying abroad. The first important effect of studying abroad is a student’s greater understanding of a different educational system. The first thing a student will notice is the curriculum and how it is different comparing by what they used to have in their country and the difficulty level. Also, there are many choices of fields that maybe don’t exist in their country which make the students change their mind for the best. In addition, the educational environment such as: outdoor activity and campus events will affect them. The new academic culture has strong impact especially on international students. It makes the student to express what he feels which makes him start to think outside the box and be more creative. Moreover, learning about different culture is another important effect of studying abroad. Students will learn how to communicate with people from different cultures, both native and international students. They are learning new values and habits such as: freedom and respect for others – acceptance and appreciation of people of different racial, ethnic, and religious group. The students will learn how to start small talk with the others in a polite way and avoid the embarrassing questions. From my experience, I learned American culture and now I have knowledge of what subjects I should use when I want to start small talk and what should I avoid, the distance between me and the other, and how to call my professors. Although it's different from my culture, I learned how to challenge people from different cultures. Also, it is more exciting for the students when they learn the heritage of a different culture, especially when it comes the holidays and the special days. The differences of the educational system and learning about different cultures are not the only effects of studying abroad; making new friends from different countries is also a positive effect. Being social and making friends from different countries is important for the students. It make the students feel self-confident and more active. Also, it helps them to not feel homesick because when they have friends they will be more outgoing. In conclusion, the differences of the educational system, learning about different cultures, and being social by making new friends are examples of positive effects of studying abroad. Studying abroad will affect and change the student’s life. It may have a good and bad impact on their life. Some students can adapt, and the others can’t. It will be a good experience with unforgettable moments for the students who can adapt or adjust when studying abroad. Studying abroad can be considered an adventure in a part of a student's life. |
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