Expanding Horizons: Benefits of International Study

A lot of our days are just routine. School, sports, homework, dinner, sleep, repeat. Many students want a change in their daily lives and to see what is outside their backyard. Studying abroad for a summer, semester, or year will allow you to do just that. 

Traveling abroad allows you to expand your global view and to learn about other parts of the world. Senior Travor Atgetka, who did School Year Abroad (SYA) in Spain last year, said, “I heard a lot about the travel opportunities and where I would be able to go. That really convinced me. Being able to travel the world, move all over Europe …, [meet] new people.” 

In addition, you will finally be able to apply the years of the world language you learn in school. Studying abroad in another country will improve your proficiency in the language because you are using it every day at school, when shopping, and at your host family’s house. You may find that what you learned in school may not be what they say in your host country. With interactions with native speakers every day, you will be picking up slang, idioms, and words that are specific to where you stay.

Being abroad, you will learn how to be independent and self-reliant. SYA France 23-24 student and Senior Aissa Maiga said, “If you need something, you have to go ask because it’s not going to be handed to you.” You learn more about your preferences and your own habits while being away from home, allowing you to advocate better for your own needs. 

Already being in a new environment, you will have more opportunities to try new activities. Having never cooked much before, I was able to take a cooking class in Spain where I made Paella, Churros, and Torrijas! As you pick up a new skill, doing that new extracurricular allows you to meet people from your host country along the way.

Going abroad also allows you to reflect more about your own home. Director of the Center for Community Engagement Nancy Feidelman says, “You gain the most clarity on where you’re from when you have a point of comparison. You can’t have a comparative perspective if you never leave home —I feel that strongly. When you gain that point of comparison, it enables you to make better choices about your own home-base.”

Studying abroad in Spain was one of the best decisions I have ever made. After being home for 4 months, I still miss the jingle of the Tranvía, the contagious laughter in my orchestra rehearsals, and the Parque Grande right down the street. It may seem daunting to go to a new country and communicate in a language other than English, but soon enough, you will be finding your second home.