There are so many opportunities students can take advantage of in college. While getting involved in clubs or getting an internship is great, there is another opportunity that few students take advantage of: studying abroad. Although studying in a foreign country may seem scary and expensive, travelling and studying at a foreign university is an learning experience like no other. Not sure if studying abroad is for you? If you say "yes" to many of these statements below, then you need to study abroad.
1. Your wanderlust is real. All the time.
You don't just dream about visiting foreign cities and countries, you have an overwhelming urge to go abroad. You read articles about foreign cities, and read books about them, because if you can't go there physically, you can dream about them figuratively. You can't stop thinking about what it would be like to go to France or Argentina and have a whole plan in your mind about what you would do there. Your dream vacation changes often because you just want to go to so many places. It's as if you were born with an urge to travel, as if it was fated.
2. You love to travel.
You enjoy visiting new places and sightseeing. You like experiencing different cultures and delicious foods. You get so excited about going on vacation that people think that you are crazy. If you decide to study abroad, you can easily visit multiple countries during your semester or year abroad.
3. You love food.
Tired of hamburgers and fries? While this is an American staple and delicious, there are so many more foods and cuisines to explore. With savory pastries in France, prized pasta and gelato in Italy, and fried plantains in Central America, there is great food everywhere, you just have to be willing to travel and try new things.
4. You like speaking and learning new languages.
Do you just speak English? That's okay, as it is one of the most popular languages in the world and most people in foreign countries speak it. However, if you want to learn a new language, then studying abroad may be the right choice for you. By going to a different country, you are surrounded and forced to learn the country's language. By the end of the semester or year abroad, you can be proficient or near fluent in a language. How awesome is that? Also, if you have been learning languages in school for years, then studying abroad is also great too because you will become even more comfortable and more fluent in that language. Language skills are highly desired by employers in this multicultural and interdependent world. So it's not only awesome to learn a new language, but studying abroad can help you get a job as well.
Studying abroad is a great opportunity that all high school and college students should look into. If you want to study abroad, don't be afraid to do it! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and will change your life.
