Why Study Abroad? by Eduardo

Why Study Abroad? by Eduardo - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

The simple answer is life experience. I've never had the opportunity to study abroad, as I have chosen to settle down and get married before I had the chance. I did, however, have the chance to serve in the U.S. Army. This gave me the chance to travel to different countries and be exposed to the wonderful and diverse cultures that I would otherwise never have seen.
I was able to experience the culture of Germany, learning simple things in my short stay there. I learned that the “Autobahn” was not a single road in Germany, but what just what they called their highways. Using the highway system allowed me to go to Amsterdam, where I found out the sad news that not everyone in the world knows what mozzarella sticks are. I found out what it was like to be a total stranger in a new place. I always thought I knew what that was like during the different cities I moved to while I lived in the United States, but I was wrong beyond measure.
I had to spend time in the beautiful city of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. I was able to walk the streets and try new food, haggling for rides with the locals. I found out that a song that was recently popular in the U.S.A. was also popular in countries I never knew about before. I learned that being American wasn’t the bad thing I thought it was when traveling around the world.
Students should be exposed to new cultures to diversify their thinking, and break stereotypes that have been introduced to them. All of these things might not happen to someone if they study abroad. All these things won’t happen to someone if they don’t study abroad.