Nowadays, as globalization has become an inevitable trend. The communication between different countries is more frequently. This communication is not only economic exchanges, but also cultural exchanges and knowledge exchanges. Therefore, with this situation, more and more people would like study abroad. Study abroad is already became a new catchword in this century.
In this age of economic globalization, knowledge occupies an important position in the development of society. Therefore, more and more people started to pay attention to study abroad. “Study abroad is good or bad?” became a hot topic of people’s debate. We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of study abroad in this blog. What the benefits of study abroad? Study abroad has what problems? In this age, study abroad is “important” or “necessary”?
Dr. Mike Woolf shares his insights in the website http://sharing.educationdynamics.com/blogs/interviews/archive/2008/12/22/what-makes-a-great-study-abroad-program.aspx. He considered, study abroad is important but it is not necessary. It is not necessary to study abroad to be an educated person. He thinks many people who are highly educated do not have the option to study abroad. Therefore, study abroad is a way to increase the knowledge and insight, but not the only way. It is important but not necessary.
The advantages of study abroad
Without a doubt, study abroad brings many benefits to us. Whatever focuses on study or life, there are a lot of advantages. Study abroad gives the opportunity to learn about different culture in different country. At the same time we can makes friends with the people who came from different countries, disseminate our national culture.
The website (http://studying-abroad.net/) shows some benefits of study abroad. For example, study abroad can help us improved language skills in a foreign country, study abroad can give us much greater self-confidence and self-reliance, and so on.
There are various ways to study abroad. For example, study abroad program, exchange students or study abroad at their own expense. There is an article (http://mariaabroad.com/2009/05/study-abroad-programs-advantages-and-disadvantages/), it’s a student use herself as an example, described advantages and disadvantages of study abroad program. However, whatever what kind of study mode, the advantages of study abroad on basic are same.
There are a lot of advantages of study abroad; the first one is “improve language skills”. Living in a new country, the most important thing is command their language. We can’t find this coercive language environment in our own country. I think this is the biggest reason people would like study abroad. This is a discussion website; some discuss the advantages and disadvantages of study abroad here. http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic41651.html
The disadvantages of study abroad
Everything has two sides, study abroad brings many benefits to us, does not mean there are no problems of study abroad. Study abroad also has some disadvantages. The first and the biggest problem is expenditure. This website (http://sify.com/news/majority-chinese-studying-overseas-funded-by-parents-news-international-kixjkcjcgjg.html) shows majority Chinese studying overseas funded by parents. In fact, study abroad requires a lot of financial support. This expenditure is not just educational fee but cost of living. If study abroad several years, it should be a vast cost. It requires the family who has a child study abroad should have a better economic base. Study abroad brings a big economic burden to a number of families.
Except the expenditure, security is another issue of concern. For some younger oversea students, this issue is more important. Their parents will care about their children.
Nowadays, study abroad has become a trend, this situation is threaten for their country. If the students would like find a job in that country after their graduation, it will make brain drain of their motherland.
In my opinion, the advantages of study abroad are more than disadvantages of study abroad. The best evidence of this fact is increasing of study abroad. They choose study abroad because it has a lot of benefits and it worth to do. I found two website shows ten reasons of study abroad. There are http://mariaabroad.com/2009/02/10-reasons-to-study-abroad/ and http://www.vistawide.com/studyabroad/why_study_abroad.htm. Even the content of these two are not identical, they all can prove that study abroad is an important turning point in the life. It is a big decision of our life. Study abroad provides a good opportunity for changes of our living environment.
As for me, I am an international student. From my own experience of study abroad, I found these ten advantages of study abroad.
Study abroad helps us to improve our language skill.
Study abroad helps us to know another culture and exchanges our culture to others.
Study abroad helps us to develop living skills.
Study abroad expands our worldwide.
Study abroad enhances employment opportunities. We can choose working in that country or go back to our motherland after graduation.
Study abroad helps us to learn about ourselves.
Study abroad provides us a good opportunity to travel.
Study abroad helps us to make new friends come from different countries.
Study abroad helps us to enrich life experience.
Study abroad helps us to learn independence.
Study abroad has their advantages and disadvantages, and it depends on what kind of study experience you want to have.
References
Arkoudis, S. (n.d.). Teaching international students: Strategies to enhance learning. Retrieved from http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/pdfs/international.pdf
Benefits of study abroad. (2009). Retrieved August 26, 2010, from http://studying-abroad.net/
Davison, M. (2008). What makes a great study abroad program. Retrieved August 26, 2010, from http://sharing.educationdynamics.com/blogs/interviews/archive/2008/12/22/what-makes-a-great-study-abroad-program.aspx
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad/working abroad. (2009). Retrieved August 26, 2010, from http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic41651.html
Dwyer, M. M. & Peters, C. K. (2004). The benefits of study abroad. Retrieved August 26, 2010, from http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0403/benefits_study_abroad.shtml
Majority Chinese studying overseas funded by parents. (2010). Retrieved August 26, 2010, from http://sify.com/news/majority-chinese-studying-overseas-funded-by-parents-news-international-kixjkcjcgjg.html
Remington, A. (2004). Study abroad builds bridges to opportunity. Retrieved August 26, 2010, from http://www.uiowa.edu/~ptimes/issues04-05/spring04-05/study-abroad.html
Study abroad programs – advantages and disadvantages. (2009). Retrieved August 26, 2010, from http://mariaabroad.com/2009/05/study-abroad-programs-advantages-and-disadvantages/
Studying abroad. (n.d.). Retrieved August 26, 2010, from http://www.degree-essays.com/studying-abroad.php
The advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. (2007). Retrieved August 26, 2010, from http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/editing-writing-topics/54952-advantages-disadvantages-studying-abroad.html
Why study abroad? 10 reasons why you should study in a foreign country. (n.d.). Retrieved August 26, 2010, from http://www.vistawide.com/studyabroad/why_study_abroad.htm
10 reasons to study abroad. (2009). Retrieved September 23, 2010, from http://mariaabroad.com/2009/02/10-reasons-to-study-abroad/
