Studying Abroad to Fight Eurocentrism by Marissa

Studying Abroad to Fight Eurocentrism by Marissa - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

Every aspect of our lives, big or small, helps to shape the person that we are. The biggest mold of anything however, is our education. From the time we are four years old we go to school and some don’t stop until they’re nearing their thirties. This is where we learn to read and write, where we make friends, and where we learn who we are. Our education growing up shapes the way we view the world, which is why having an education with a global perspective is so important.
Most people tend to view the world with a eurocentric point of view. One of the most important things that I believe we should be taught as children is cultural relativism. An education with a global perspective would allow us to see a country or culture through their eyes, not our own. We have become so quick to judge others nowadays that we forget that our society is not the basis for how the world works. Everyone is always so interested in doing things not because they want to, but because they feel they need to. Throughout the last few years when all my fellow classmates were going through the college process I can’t begin to recall how many times I heard the phrases, “It’ll look good on college applications” or “Something like this will look good on my resume.” Studying abroad and getting to experience a global classroom would indeed make a resume look a little nicer, but the most important benefit to take away from that experience is the way it can shape you as a person.
Some of the most important things we learn in life come from outside of the classroom. Advancing our education starts in a classroom but it too often our knowledge isn’t expanded to it’s greatest potential because we don’t ever take it outside of that room. The biggest breakdown here is that education in the classroom often doesn’t connect enough to the real world. For me, I learned more on a field trip to Washington D.C. seeing all the museums than I did in my history classroom. An education with a global perspective opens our eyes to other cultures, broadens our horizons, develops social skills, teaches responsibility, and even can teach us to be more appreciative of the life we have. Studying abroad allows students to expand on their individuality. College is the first time most students are away from the parents and family which requires us to learn how to function without having someone right there to lean on. Being in an unfamiliar place would only accelerate that and help us reach our highest potential. From seeing new cultures it opens up so many doors. You can learn about their customs and ways and can teach acceptance and understanding. Some cultures and countries in the world don’t have the most stable or comfortable way of life and often we take for granted the type of life we have in most places in Western society.
The more we can learn in our higher education the better. An education with a global perspective will always be very important. The more we can learn about cultures other than our own will allow us to develop more in depth perceptions about the world which will lead to more educated decisions. From meeting people, speaking their language, experiencing their customs to just seeing the historic landmarks, the more a student can learn. The whole point of higher education is to gain the most knowledge we can while also shaping ourselves to be intelligent, responsible and the best version of our self we can be. Without a global education, I don’t believe we could possibly reach our highest potential. Every college should try their hardest to allow their students to reach their highest potential which is why studying abroad should be required at the higher level.