Studying abroad - Essay Example

Full Foreign Homesickness and Multicultural Experiences With the increase in the number studying abroad, the research on students’ success and failure has increasingly become an interesting subject. More and more scholars are looking into the effects of international studies on the characteristics of students and vice versa. Since globalization has become an essential consideration in economics, politics, science and technology, international studies are becoming more popular than ever. Therefore, great interest must be spent on this international phenomenon to help ensure the success of students who are paying high prices in their studies.

Problems encountered by international students should be given attention and solutions to help foreigners cope with their new environment and perform well in their studies. This paper will discuss some of these problems such as homesickness and the multi-cultural experiences of international students. Perhaps the most common complaint among foreign students is homesickness. Studies show that “students in America experience homesickness due to culture shock” (Harrison and Brower). The culture in America is definitely different from most foreign students especially those coming from eastern countries.

It is not just the language that is different but the divergences in food, clothing, customs and practices are also quite astonishing to foreign students. This makes them long for familiar environments and people they have been used to. From the studies of Harrison and Brower, this separation anxiety has a strong correlation to psychological hardiness- “a personality variable that seemingly impact students’ adjustment to their often challenging and bewildering host cultures” (Harrison and Bower).

The research of the shows that those who are able to adjust and actively involve themselves in whatever challenges individuals are faced with, experience less homesickness. In addition, those who are able to act strong and able in their new environment are less stressed and therefore are able to cope with the demands of their host culture. Those who are resilient to changes are also found to be stronger in times of emotional and psychological troubles among foreign students. In contrast to the negative effect of foreign studies, there is also a great advantage especially with those who have strong psychological hardiness and are open to challenging experiences.

According to Christine Lee, David Therriault and Tracy Linderholm, “multicultural experiences such as studying abroad are quantitatively and qualitatively different experiences when compared with travels or short visits which provide only a superficial introduction to a new culture” (769). Indeed, short visits will not fully expose a person to the diverse cultures of people he deals with, contrary to the intensive and extensive exposures during a long period of communicating and interacting with other people of different cultures.

Short visits will not impact a person’s psychological hardiness as well which somehow help determine a person’s creative thinking. This perception is due to the fact that psychological hardiness is often challenged during trying times. The long-term experiences of foreign students somehow help them to realize their differences or similarities with other cultures and enable them to adapt to several challenging situations. They can also improve their communication skills which is the most obvious and primary objective of students.

Moreover, foreign students are found to be more self-confident because of the knowledge they have gained as well as their improved communication skills. In conclusion, international students, especially those with weak psychological hardiness, may experience separation anxieties. However, those who are able to think positively, to react emphatically and to see things confidently have lesser tendencies of homesickness. Such kinds of students are more able to appreciate the beauty of knowing about other cultures.

They are also able to improve their communication skills and as a result, they gain more confidence in their capabilities.ReferencesHarrison, J. Kline and Holly H. Brower. “The Impact of Cultural Intelligence and Psychological Hardiness on Homesickness Among Study Abroad Students”. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad. Wake Forest University.Lee, Christine S., David J. Therriault and Tracy Linderholm. “On the Cognitive Benefits of Cultural Experience: Exploring the Relationship between Studying Abroad and Creative Thinking”.

Applied Cognitive Psychology, 26: 768-778. USA: Wiley Online Library, 2012.