Study Abroad Is Important by Katherine

Study Abroad Is Important by Katherine - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

I find it important for people to face the culture of different countries and to learn from the circumstances and experiences there. When examining my college options, I found it very interesting that studying abroad is an option for several courses. This stuck my interest because I have always been interested in traveling. Being able to travel with my college and being able to learn while in another country would make the experience even greater. Nowadays, not many people have the opportunity to go and experience different cultures, but colleges should better promote this by requiring a study abroad course of a student’s choice.
I work in a local shop in downtown Fairhope, Alabama. Recently, one of the girls who also works there was given the opportunity to intern as a teacher in Madrid, Spain as a student from Auburn University. She has proven, through social media, that she truly has enjoyed living there; although, she left the United States with the knowledge that she was leaving to another country and would not know anyone at the school she would be interning at. While there, she has experienced the unique Spanish culture and improved on her Spanish speaking skills and her major of the Spanish language.
There are several reasons as to why a student attending a university should be required to study abroad. Studying abroad appears good on resumés for later applications for jobs or graduate school. When a student is in another country, the student improves their language skills as a result of being forced to excel the language they have been taught in order to communicate with the people they interact with. Studying abroad allows a student to be more involved with a diverse range of people, and along the way, the student may create friendships with the people there. Because studying abroad allows a student to study and learn differently, a student’s mind is opened up to new ways of learning.
On a personal level, by studying abroad, a student will gain independence, gain knowledge by being spontaneous and adventurous, and possibly learn to appreciate the real home of the student. The life experience of studying abroad allows the student to learn not to rely on others, like their parents. The student will definitely gain a greater knowledge of different cultures, and this allows a student to gain a global mindset and see life through a new lens. All students should be required to study abroad so that they have no reason not to be able to experiences these significant life lessons.