Are Study Abroad Programs a Waste of Time? (Essay Sample)

ARE STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS A WASTE OF TIME?
Studying abroad can be one of the most beneficial and exciting aspects to include in one’s life experience. It offers a student a chance to explore learning from a different setting from the one they are used to. However, while many students may be excited with the idea of touring other learning institutions, there exist psychologists and other stakeholders who view the whole concept as a complete waste of time and resources for the involved parties, leading to questions being raised on the validity of having students study abroad.
There are several advantages a student will be able to enjoy. By studying abroad, one automatically finds themselves in a new setting in a new language environment CITATION Bar95 \l 1033 (Freed, 1995). This is an added advantage in their development. Also, by studying abroad, the student is again subjected to a new culture, thus improving on their appreciation of diversity. Another benefit is the automatic advantage of getting career opportunities in their new environment upon completion of their studies. This is due to the fact that most employers prefer graduates, who have added skills on culture and language.
Despite the advantages a student is able to realize while studying abroad, it usually is not a walk in the park for some students as there exist various challenges a student needs to overcome. For instance, there is the big challenge of language. When in a new learning setting, most students face the daunting task of having to learn a completely new language, a factor that could be an overwhelming undertaking for some students. Such student will therefore face a difficulty in interaction with other students CITATION Mar07 \l 1033 (Patron, 2007).
Another big challenge is a cultural misunderstanding CITATION Jer90 \l 1033 (Jerry S. Carlson, 1990).This could be a big challenge for students who come from strict cultural backgrounds. The best example of a cultural misunderstanding is religion. Religion in some areas is a strict concept, in that any slight deviation from the stipulated norm is considered an abomination. Also, when studying abroad, a student lands in a new country, with a new currency and the denominations used in the new country. Such a student faces the risk of being either conned or being extravagant in their expenditure. This can have a deep effect on their financial stability.