Studying Abroad by Olivia

Studying Abroad by Olivia - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

All college students should not be required to study abroad for several reasons including cost, vaccines, and medical issues.
As the daughter of a remarried, but financially single mom of four daughters, we are struggling to figure out how to pay for college for my sisters and myself. Adding the high cost of studying abroad, if it were required, it would put college out of reach for all of us.
Depending on where students travel, vaccines might be required. I had seizures as a young child from vaccines and can no longer receive them. If traveling abroad was required for college, I’d be excluded.
As a type 1 diabetic, traveling abroad adds another element of concern for me. As an older adult, I may feel ready to take on the added responsibility of what it means to find the medical supplies, or to be in a foreign hospital if I need it. As a college student, studying there for a longer period than a vacation, that is more stress than I am willing to take on at this time. I’m sure I’m not alone.
The idea that everyone should study abroad makes assumptions that aren’t true for everyone. Imagine if I had a medical emergency and ended up in a foreign hospital do to my disease, and my mother couldn’t afford to fly there to be with me? I’d be young, alone, and navigating a system I don’t understand yet while trying to recover.
Traveling abroad should be an option for those students who can afford it and are ready to take on the responsibility.