The glitz and glam of travel, sightseeing in Europe, and photo opportunities to blow up your Instagram feed and impress your followers all sound very inviting. Indeed, who wouldn’t want to go and travel the world?
Doing so through a study-abroad program can give you invaluable experiences that go far beyond social media posts. Still, by looking deeper into the reasons to undertake a study-abroad program, you can make an informed decision about whether or not you want to take up this once-in-a-lifetime chance.
Experience a Country Firsthand
Most people only get to see the world through TV shows and internet searches. They may often dream of what the sights, sounds, and smells of a new country would be like.
Studying abroad not only allows you to see a new country, but also gives you the experience that regular tourists don’t get. As most programs discourage you from tourist resorts, you can experience the country like nothing you see in travel brochures.
With the freedom to explore off-the-beaten-path areas, you get to see more of the world and experience its true cultures, often not seen by tourists.
View the Living Culture
Experiencing new foods, customs, and daily ways of life gives you something that no textbook could ever teach. This is education on another level.
While you can explore and learn about a country’s history at home, actually living through it daily allows you to expand your education. This education will also be delivered in methods you are not used to back home.
By joining classes at the partnering school, you can see how and what other students learn about the rest of the world. This learning approach gives you a wider knowledge your classmates at home miss out on.
Practice a New Language
One of the great things about travelling the world and visiting other countries is that you can practice your native language and really test your skills.
While a lot of countries can and do speak English, many are more comfortable in their mother tongue. This gives you an invaluable chance to learn a new language by speaking daily with the people of your host country.
Classroom settings are a great place to start, but holding conversations regularly in this new language actually helps the language to develop and stay in your mind for longer. Learning French in France? It doesn’t get much more immersive than that!
Learn New Hobbies
Being immersed in new cultures gives you the chance to experience unique things, and you may find that you gain new interests at the same time.
Activities that may seem mundane at home to some, like macrame (the art of knotting cords or thick strings to form decorative patterns) or cooking, can take on a new life when experienced in another country.
Being exposed to how other cultures pass the time, you can learn new skills and find different interests that you can continue with at home. These talents can shine a new light on things, and you may find that you can interest others in them.
Make Life-Long Friends
With study-abroad programs, it is very possible to make new friends who will stay with you for life, even after you return home.
Real connections are sometimes hard to make with people you spend all your time with, especially if you have different interests. Getting to know people through study-abroad programs gives you the chance to meet others who may enjoy them.
These connections can last a lifetime, and with the internet being such an accessible tool, there is no reason that you cannot remain in regular contact.
Post-Graduation Benefits
Aside from the amazing experiences you gain while being in this new world, the benefits will continue after graduation.
School admissions look favourably on people with more to show under “Extra Curricular Activities”, and this goes a long way for most universities. Once you have completed further education and know what you want to do for a career, you may be able to return and find employment where you went to study.
Students who have had this opportunity state that they have a new perspective on life. In fact, their personal development changes; they become more accepting of different cultures and gain a drive to learn more.
Our personal development is typically dictated by our experiences. This is not to say that people who study abroad are better, but they can be more rounded and have a more open mind.
Experience It for Yourself
Global Summers Academy has a team of experts in travelling and studying abroad. Working with well-travelled teachers with firsthand knowledge, your study-abroad program will be like no other.
With amazing opportunities and experiences planned out so that every student can get the most out of their time away, and with programs to help you learn what you want, such as language or history, there is no better school to guide you.
Whether it’s the Parthenon in Greece or the rainforests of Costa Rica, you can explore these regions and other amazing and breathtaking countries that are rich in history, science, and culture.
For more information, call our dedicated team at 1-844-357-2621, or contact us here to see our current programs, and get excited about travelling and learning all at the same time.
