Trujillo I

Elizabeth Trujillo

Prof. Coomer

ENGL 1O2 MWF 11am

23 September 2016

Study abroad, an opportunity that goes beyond sacrifices

Everybody wants to have a successful career, no matter the path they choose. This life

starts with a proper college education that can be achieved either in the home country or in a

different one. Different opinions are shared among the students, everybody having their own way

of seeing the things. Although studying in an environment already known would bring the best

out of some people, an opportunity to study abroad would be seized by the ones that understand

how much they could develop as a person, not only on a strictly educational level.

First of all, one of the biggest things to take in consideration when traveling in a foreign

country is the linguistic difference. Although the language might not be the same, it should not

be an impediment. While studying abroad, students can pick up a new language or just practice

and become better at a language that they already know. Vera Regan summarized in “The

Acquisition of Sociolinguistic Competence in a Study Abroad Context” that “These researchers

all found that learners’ interaction with interlocutors was as important as the input. This research
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demonstrated how learner and interlocutor modify their speech progressively until

comprehension is achieved. “. Basically, by going into a different country and having

conversations with native speakers, you have more benefits than trying to learn a language from

a book or from a professor.

A big factor that might be important in making the decision of studying abroad would be

the study opportunity itself. Every country has a different way of approaching the same matter,

some in a more efficient way and others in a less efficient way, but in the end what counts is the

way the student is able to learn. If studying a certain country’s history there would be no better

idea than studying in that country. Every country has a different educational system. In Finland

for example, according to an article called “What the best education systems are doing right”

by a site called ideas.ted.com , it is said that the students are encouraged to have a lot of

extracurricular activities. They believe that one of the factors that influences learning is

following their personal interests. There are a lot of countries that bring the best out of the

student through different methods. What would be important is to see how they fit everybody’s

personal idea of

Another important aspect is the fact that you are not bounded to the places that you

already know. The possibility of seeing new places would make every student accept this

opportunity on the spot. Every student is fascinated by the new traditions and cultural etiquette of

the new country. Having a better understanding of the civilization and country makes a student to
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appreciate more the people and the history of that country and also to start appreciating more his

home country.

Some would argue that in a different country you do not have your family or friends.

Although one would lack at first the closeness of the family, in the end there are always people

that one can become friends with. A proverb says that “Friends are the family we choose”, this

means that no one will ever feel alone if they are willing to make friends. This will allow them to

meet people with different mindsets than them. By having different type of people as friends, one

is more aware of the diversity of people that he is surrounded by and learns how to efficiently

communicate with everybody.

Last but not least, studying abroad can be an important part of anybody’s CV. Employers

always look for international experience. They know that only strong people, capable of

sacrifices are able to get their education abroad. According to “AIFS Study Abroad Outcomes”,

“59% of employers said study abroad would be valuable in an individual’s career later on with

their organization” and, also, “80% of study abroad students reported that study abroad allowed

them to better adapt better to diverse work environments.” This shows how important and how

much, studying in a foreign country can change an individual.

To put it in a nutshell, studying abroad is an opportunity that develops more than the

educational level. It develops the person as a whole by bringing him or her in contact with new

places and people. It is a challenge, making every one who starts this to get out of their comfort
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zone and come in contact with people as different as it gets. Although it is not simple to get away

from the family, it is an opportunity to meet new people. It affects the life on every level and so,

they become better persons with very complex personalities.

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Work Cited

Regan, Vera, Martin Howard, and Isabelle Lemée. The Acquisition of Sociolinguistic

Competence in a Study Abroad Context. Buffalo: Multilingual Matters, 2009. Internet resource.

Choi, Amy S. "What the Best Education Systems Are Doing Right." Ideas.ted.com. N.p., 2015.

Web. 04 Dec. 2016

"AIFS Study Abroad Outcomes." American Institute For Foreign Study (2013): n. pag.

Web. 04 Dec. 2016.