The Top Reasons Why You Should Participate In Study Abroad Summer Programs
Posted by ama on 12th June and posted in scholarships
Your experiences at college should not only teach you the skills you need when job-seeking, but it should enrich your knowledge of different cultures. There are a lot of different ways to accomplish this, from taking classes about different parts of the world to participating in a particular group around campus, but one of the most enriching ways to develop cultural awareness is to actually participate in a study abroad summer program. Summer is the perfect time to squeeze a bit of adventure into your life, even if you’re too busy to do a longer study abroad program. Should you ever have the chance to go abroad you should take it, and here’s why:
You get to go abroad! Duh, right?! How many people actually ever leave the country, let alone their own state or even city? They either don’t have the resources to travel or are uninterested in it. People who never travel miss out on growth opportunities. Besides, summer is the perfect time to travel. People are almost always in higher spirits, and your own college probably offers less in the way of classes. If an opportunity like this comes up, you should definitely give it a try.
Summer can be the perfect time to participate in a language study abroad program. Is the foreign language requirement of your school weighing you down? Have you been avoiding taking that German or Chinese class? Well, maybe you would be more energized about learning a new language if you were able study it in its country of origin! Just imagine studying French in Paris while sitting in a happening club near the Seine. In the summer, it stays light out very late in France, so there’s plenty of daylight left to have fun after you are done with your studies.
You can meet new people. Everyone needs new friends, and everyone should try hard to network now that it is becoming harder than ever to land a job. During the summer, many cities organize huge celebrations to commemorate national holidays. When you aren’t studying, you can get to know people on a more casual basis by attending fun events with them.
While abroad, you almost always expand your understanding of the world and start to better understand other people. Every country has its unique culture and values, and people’s methods of interaction often vary greatly. In some countries, such as Russia, it’s important to be very direct, while in others, like Japan, it’s important not to be too bold. Perhaps you will learn that some people have different customs dependent upon the seasons. No matter where you come from, you will learn how to appreciate differences better by studying abroad.
If you have ever thought about traveling overseas to study, go in the summer You’ll have a chance to experience a new culture, explore a new place, and perhaps make a lot of progress in learning a foreign language, but you won’t be away from friends and family for too long, nor will it interfere with your regular classes. Just remember that when it’s summer here, it’s winter in the south, so if you’re wanting warm, sunny days, don’t head to Chile or Australia! Otherwise, if your only interest is fitting studying abroad into your hectic schedule, just make the leap, choose a country and program that suits you, and have the study abroad summer experience of a lifetime!
