New Environments and Cultures While Studying Abroad - Essay Example

Language and Culture: Studying Abroad The desire to experience new environments and cultures in different countries especially in the developing world has led to an increase in the number of students gaining admissions to study abroad. Those who support abroad studies emphasize that being in a foreign country forces one to come out of their comfort zone and face their personal fears which in turn helps them develop valuable traits such as being self reliant, open minded and having self confidence. On the other hand, opponents of studying abroad feel that it fundamentally creates a perception of below standards of the local higher education system. This perception of low standards on the local education is detrimental based on the fact that globalization has connected the world which requires that every country equips its future work force with the skills and abilities necessary to participate in a global economy. Abroad studies has been shown to present an opportunity for students to produce negative outcomes where students use the opportunity to have fun away from their parents’ supervision and control where habits such as overindulgence in alcohol and drug abuse are taken up to alleviate loneliness and trauma of culture shock. Nonetheless, studying abroad despite the language and cultural challenges it possess, it should be considered based on the opportunities it presents to students which is essential for personal development. Studying abroad has come to be viewed as a necessary investment for parents who would like their children to gain knowledge in a different environment as this allows them to experience other cultures. In addition, studying abroad takes place after high school when the student is 18 years when parents feel is an appropriate age to begin learning how to be independent. At this age, one can be able to get a job and be able to effectively cater for his personal expenses, a process that relieves the parents of the burdens and expenses. This is because one can get a job and fend for themselves. This brings about two important; factors- experiencing other cultures and becoming independent, both of which bring about the element of personal growth. This in my opinion is the single most valuable reason for choosing to study abroad. Personal growth goes beyond these two factors to include shaping of one’s character where one has to adjust their attitudes, develop a new mentality as they challenge their own beliefs and values in the face of a different environment where beliefs and value systems are more likely to be different. Apart from personal growth and the development of universal beliefs, one is able to conquer personal fears. Asians for example have a different marriage culture as compared to the people in the west where marriage as an institution is rather free. Exposure to such a culture may present the Asians with a challenge as it may be tough for them to accept the free will marriage practices adopted by the west. Getting the chance to study abroad however makes it possible for such an individual to integrate to the culture and develop positive attitude towards it as opposed to those who have not. The second aspect brought about by studying abroad is academic growth where one is exposed to learning in an environment with lecturers that are broadly experienced. In addition, being away from home renders one lonely and this is an opportunity to delve into studies without the distractions brought on by familiar faces of friends and family. In such a scenario one has to learn to be self reliant as there are no parents pushing one to study, it is a choice that one has to make individually. One has a better chance of developing a deeper interest of academics in a different environment as one develops an inquisitive mind which comes from the excitement of being in a new place. Notably as well one has a chance to seek further education opportunities in countries that have renowned education institutions. This is attributed to the fact that higher education systems in countries abroad are generally different which gives students vigor to pursue their academic with more interest. Above all, studying abroad gives one the competitive edge needed to participate in a global economy because one gets comprehensive education. Subsequently, the third aspect is professional growth where one is able to seek mentorship and internship opportunities while studying abroad. These opportunities expand one’s knowledge of various work environments due to intercultural interactions. More importantly, it has been shown that employers value the ability if employees to be flexible and adaptable which are skills enhanced by studying abroad. Moreover, the personal quality of being non judgmental and open to people from varying cultural backgrounds is valued by employers and is enhanced by international experiences gained while studying. Essentially, being able to work effectively, communicate along with interact while outside one’s comfort zone with people from varying races and cultures are seen to be the personal traits sought after most by employers, all of which are enhanced by studying abroad. At the same time, during such an international experience one is able to forge relationships and friendships that go on to last a lifetime while enabling one to advance in their chosen career field. Being a foreigner also allows one to get more knowledge about their heritage and culture as naturally people will want to learn more about a foreign culture. This gives one a profound feeling of belonging and admiration of their heritage and culture. Nonetheless, there may be a situation where one has to defend certain aspects of their culture for example the arranged marriages. Studying abroad help in shaping one’s professional and social character, a development is essential in career development and growth. This kind of personal growth is further enriched by the fact that one is away from home so it is rather a matter of survival. Professional growth can also be looked at from the point of view of learning a new skill or talents which is helpful in professional and career development. In the same way, one can choose to learn a foreign language in its native country where they study for example learning English in England. This makes it easier to learn and perfect the language as one has to constantly use it for day to day activities where this has been known to improve retention along with fluency. In addition, learning it from a native user allows for learning of colloquial lingo and this gives deeper insight into their culture. With the changing dynamics of business and globalization, being fluent in foreign languages is essential for international posting and job assignments. While the benefits of studying abroad may be self-manifest, some disadvantages and demerits exist and this result into a decrease in the number of students enrolling in international colleges. For example, parents or guardians may at times be reluctant to let go of their children to go live alone in a foreign environment where they will likely not know anyone. This apprehensiveness is justified as students are at times faced with emotional difficulties arising from loneliness and difficulty in settling in a new environment. Students have at times turned to negative habits such as overindulgence in alcohol and drug abuse so as to alleviate their loneliness. This in turn causes them to neglect their studies and in the long run the purpose of going abroad does more harm than good. It is natural for parents to worry over the well being of their children when they are away from them furthermore in a different continent. Some children generally have difficulty adjusting to new places and finding out ways to survive and fend for themselves; as such parents will not be too keen to pay for their studies abroad. The issues of language barrier and cultural intolerance also affect the ability of the students to adapt to the new environment and begin the studies in earnest. Furthermore, where a student has no knowledge of the language spoken in the country they are going to study they are bound to experience difficulty surviving as communication becomes challenging. This accompanied by the fact that there are differences in food eaten in the country, use of amenities such as bathrooms and toilets, use of certain non verbal cues and other factors, makes having no knowledge of the native language a challenging experience. This proves quite frustrating and overwhelming to a person who has lived at home all their life and has no knowledge of the language spoken in that country. Thereby, the trauma experienced from the culture shock is worsened by being unable to communicate properly when carrying out even the simplest of tasks such as shopping for grocery. Apart from communication difficulties that may arise due to the fact that the foreign student does not understand the language, the learning process may also be interfered with. This is more likely to happen in instances where the foreign language is used as the instruction mode and the student is yet to understand its dynamics. In addition, the learning outcomes along with cultural experiences sought after through studying abroad may be achieved in the home country. It is important this is advocated rather than encouraging students to study abroad as it has the effect of creating a perception that the education system at home is not up to par with the rest of the world and in the present competitive global economy it is crucial that this is sought. Achieving this may be done by understanding that international education requires adopting internationalized thinking that encompasses making students open-minded to varying cultures and races and developing skills in students that allows them to compete in a global setting. This is because colleges and universities are responsible for ensuring that their students can participate actively and competitively in a global economy. Similarly, it makes it possible to retain the local working force as it has been seen that students that go to study abroad may often not return to their home countries. In conclusion, it is clear that indeed studying abroad is valuable for not only the education received but also for the personal, professional and academic growth, which it affords a student. Parents should therefore seek it for their children while keeping in mind that there will certainly be challenges. However, these challenges can be mitigated by mentally preparing their children for them well in advance through for instance helping them seek jobs and teaching them how to be financially responsible. Even being under the legal age limit, students can be taught while at high school how to make money for themselves by taking on menial jobs such as waiting at restaurants, washing cars in the neighborhood and babysitting. This will enable the students to develop a positive mentality towards working and being self reliant. At the same time, parents should encourage their children to learn the native language of the country they choose to study at even if it is at a basic level. In doing so, both parents and their children will be in a better position of embracing the idea of being apart and for the children they will be able to anticipate and overcome the challenges that come with studying abroad, and fully maximize the opportunity. Read More