Cast up the Accounts of Studying Abroad - Research Paper Example

Cast up the accounts of studying abroad Studying abroad can offer a lot of benefits to the and the development of the society, but on the other side, it also have some drawbacks and disadvantages, over all studying abroad turned out to a good investment, but at the mean time people should realized that the profit exists paralleling risk. However, the benefits which studying abroad offers are bigger than the drawbacks because studying abroad is often one of the aspirations of many individuals across the world and this is because they would like to study in an environment which is different from the one in their home countries. Moreover, individuals tend to prefer studying abroad because they are able to experience different cultures and people and in this way become more international in their outlook. One of the most sought after destinations for studying abroad is the United States, which has over the years welcomed a large number of people from across the world into its educational institutions (Cressey 16). The United States has been recognized for having among the best institutions of learning in the globe and as a result, it is of great demand as a study destination from a significant number of people especially from the developing world. The institutions of learning in the United States are also known to provide some very generous scholarships to deserving individuals from poor countries; consequently, they receive many applications every year since individuals recognize that they might be given an opportunity to make their lives better. One of the benefits that students acquire from studying abroad is that they get a chance to pursue their education in an environment that is not limited by either geography or economic circumstances because they are able to work within an environment that is completely new and full of opportunities (Schemo). Moreover, studying abroad makes it possible for students to develop the necessary skills at an international level that allows them to increase their career prospective beyond what they would have had had they been studying in their home countries. Students are allowed to study in an environment which is more or less international in nature considering that a there are often other students from diverse countries and cultures who share their way of life and experiences, ensuring that students are able to learn from each other. The latter experience is extremely important because it makes possible the development of knowledge about the world among international students that they would otherwise not have had if they had chosen to study in their home countries. The exposure is very significant especially when one considers that the world is increasingly becoming globalized and the people within it have to learn to live together in harmony; this cannot be achieved if they do not develop an understanding of each other’s culture. Studying abroad also creates conditions for students to be able to see the world from a different perspective other than that based on local stereotypes; helping them overcome the negative aspects of their own cultures and providing them with the opportunity to forge relationships with people at an international level, which might last a lifetime. Students who undertake their studies abroad tend to be very beneficial to their communities because they often bring back the knowledge that they gained in their studies to ensure the further development of the communities (Engel and Engel 6). In addition, studying abroad makes it possible for students to work in any environment across the globe, despite their ethnicity and background. This way, there is a high level of human resource exchange globally that provides the added benefit of ensuring swift global economic development. Overseas education ensures movement of the global population and this allows for an increase in the demand and supply of goods and services in place, which would have otherwise seen little economic activity. The other benefit accrued from overseas education is that it makes possible the development of cross cultural communication and globalization, which is extremely necessary for there to be world peace. While studying abroad has many benefits, there are also several risks, which are associated with it, and these tend to be either personal or societal. Concerning foreign students, it is often quite difficult to settle into a different culture and there tend to be some instances of culture shock among them (UNESCO Institute of Statistics 45). There are also instances where foreign students have to learn a new language in order to be able to communicate effectively not only with their instructors, but also with their fellow students and other members of the new society. In case students do not know the language of the people in the country in which they are studying, it is most probable that they end up living in isolation, especially in circumstances where there are no other students from their home countries in the institution. The result of living under such conditions is that students for the duration of their study is that they might not get the full benefits of learning abroad; instead developing negative feelings about the whole experience and making them even less aware of global diversity than before leaving their home countries to study. When an individual gets the opportunity to study overseas, it is often a moment of great joy for the person involved but this often comes at a price. There are some situations where despite a student being admitted to an overseas institution, he or she is not provided with a scholarship and this means that they have to sponsor themselves throughout their period of study (Hsieh 379). The fact that they have to sponsor themselves means that; it becomes an economic burden on their families, especially when they come from backgrounds where they are not too well off. Furthermore, there is also an emotional toll on both the parents and the student because they end up being separated for a long time and the emotional and social connections, which they shared before, are stretched to the limit. As a result, there are instances where students become extremely homesick and this more or less has a negative impact on their educational performance. Moreover, because of the constant depression the students have to endure because of not being close to their families, there are instances where they fail to adapt effectively to their new environment and this makes it difficult for them to develop the good experiences necessary to make the duration of their studies worthwhile. Overseas education, while highly beneficial to the societies from which students come may also have some very negative effects. Among these is that some students who, after their studies, choose to settle permanently in the countries where they attained their education (Kisch 53). In this way, they give more to their adopted countries rather than to their home countries, meaning that the latter become the losers. The large numbers of students who go overseas to study have mostly come about as a result of encouragement from their home governments. These governments often wish to acquire the technological and economic knowledge from developed countries with the intention of making them more advanced so that they can be able to compete effectively in the globalized world. In order to achieve this objective, the governments of less developed countries tend to encouraged as many of their people as possible to undertake their studies overseas with the hope that when they return, they will bring with them the knowledge to improve the lives of their people (Gribble 27). However, this is not usually the case because a significant number of students do not return to their countries, seeing greater opportunities to prosper in their new environment. In this manner, developing countries end up being the losers because their best talent leaves the country, making it impossible for them to make the progress that is necessary to secure their long-term development goals. There are many benefits associated with students studying abroad, one being that they are able to study in new environments where they not only experience other cultures but also develop cross-cultural friendships, which are of mutual benefit. The arguments made against overseas education, including that student experience cultural shock as well as not being able to cope in their new environment do not outweigh the fact that it is the best form of education in the globalized environment. Students tend to get over culture shock swiftly because in most institutions of learning today, there are departments designed specifically to ensure that international students are acclimatized in their new environment so that they do not suffer too much from being outside their own comfort zones (Schemo). Therefore, despite the many challenges that students might end up facing overseas, a majority of them tends to overcome them and become stronger than when they arrived because of the massive support that they gain from their educational institutions. The financial pressure that some families have to undergo to ensure that their children attend school overseas is worthwhile because they are able to gain the experience necessary to ensure that they can work and survive in any environment that they are placed in the globe. Despite the loss of talent that developing countries experience when their students do not return, they also experience significant benefits through the finances that are constantly remitted back to the home countries by these individuals to support their families. The result is that the benefits of overseas learning far outweigh the risks because it is through this experience that students get to become responsible global citizens. In conclusion, studying abroad is among the greatest experiences that an individual can have because it opens up his perspective of the world and makes it possible for him to be able to coexist with other people from across different cultures. Moreover, it creates opportunities for people from less developed countries to gain the knowledge that can be implemented in their home countries so that they can achieve a more developed status so that the lives of their people can be improved. Furthermore, there are instances where families invest heavily on their children’s education overseas and end up benefitting because those students who study abroad are more likely to attain better jobs than those who study locally and this allows them to compensate their families for their investment. The fear that people develop concerning the risks of studying abroad are often unfounded and can easily be overcome by focused students determined to achieve their academic goals so that they can be successful in their fields of choice. Works Cited Cressey, William. Guide to Studying Abroad. New York: Princeton Review, 2004. Print. Engel, Lilli, and Engel, John. "Study Abroad Levels: Toward a Classification of Program Types". Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad (Forum on Education Abroad) 9.1 (2003): 1–20. Gribble, Christiaan. “Policy options for managing international student migration: the sending country’s perspective.” Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 30.1 (2008): 25-39. Hsieh, Min-Hua. "Challenges For International Students In Higher Education: One Students Narrated Story Of Invisibility And Struggle." College Student Journal 41.2 (2007): 379-391. Kisch, M. "Recruiting International Students-Community College Style", International Educator, 21.4 (2012): 52-55. Schemo, Diana Jean. "In Study Abroad, Gifts and Money for Universities". The New York Times. 13 August 2007 Schemo, Diana Jean. "Study Abroad is New Focus of Inquiry into Perks". The New York Times. 16 August 2007. UNESCO Institute of Statistics. Global Education Digest: Comparing Education Statistics around the world (2009): 45-49 Read More