仔细看AppreciatingOtherCultures
Wecansayalmostwithoutexceptionthatlivingabroadisthebestwaytobroadenyourhorizonsandincreaseyourappreciationforotherculturesandpeople.Livinginadifferentcultureallowsyoutolearnitfromtheinsideout.Particularlyifyouarelivingwithahostfamilyorwithforeignstudentswhobringyouintotheirgroup,youwilllearnmoreinafewweeksthanyoucouldinyearsofstudyingtextbooks.
LittleBlunders
Theexperienceoflivinginanotherculturecanalsoteachushow'strange'someofourownassumptionsare.Trylookingforanysortofestablishmentabroadthatisopen24/7foryourconvenience.Weguaranteeyouwillnotfindmany.(Atleastnotofthesortthatyoushouldbegoingto!)
LifeinmanyotherareasoftheworldtendstomoveatadifferentpaceandvaluedifferentidealsthanAmericanculture.AlthoughyoualsomaybesurprisedoccasionallyatthestrangeplacesthatAmericadoesintrude(suchashearingBritneySpearsblaringonamarketstreetinthemiddleofGuatemala).Savorthechancetogetawayfromthefamiliarandlearnfrompeoplethathaveanentirelydifferentbackgroundandpreconceptions.(Keepinmindthateveryonehaspreconceptions;wejustusuallydonotthinkaboutthemsincetheyinformandguideusallthetimewithoutusconsciouslyreferencingthem.)
DifferentLifestyles
Onepieceofadviceforpickingaschoolforstudyabroadwouldbetopickatypeofinstitutionthatdiffersgreatlyfromyourhomeschool.Ifyougotoasmallschool,pickabigone,ifyouareonaruralcampus,movetoanurbancampus,andviceversa.Lookforsomeplacethatwillgiveyouasdiverseanexperienceaspossible.
Anewvarietyofavailableclassesmayalsobeanunexpectedbenefitofstudyingabroad.Ifyouattendasmallschoolnormally,andpickalargerschoolforstudyingabroad,youmayfindthatthenewschooloffersthatobscureclassinchildren'sfantasyliteraturethatyouhavealwayswishedexistedatyourschool.Theonlywaytodiscovertheseopportunitiesistocarefullyexaminewhatdifferentschoolsoffer.
GlobalPerspective
Thosereturningfromstudiesabroadalsotendtoexclaimattheirincreasedunderstandingoftheworldandtheglobalperspectivetheyacquired.Itisnotonlytheexperienceoflearningaboutanotherculturethatincreasesglobalperspective,itislearningfromthosethatalreadyhaveamoreglobalperspectivethemselves.
FewnationstodaymaintainasmuchisolationandgenerallackofglobalperspectiveastheUnitedStatesandhercitizens.MostEuropeansyoutalktowillexpressamazementatthepercentageofAmericansthathaveneverbeenoutofthecountry,anddonotevenhavetheirpassports.Peoplefrommostothernationstendtobemoreawareoftheworldaroundthemoutofnecessityifnothingelse.Studyingabroadaffordstheunparalleledopportunitytonotonlylearnaboutthecountryinwhichyouarestudyingbutalsotovisitneighboringcountriesandtoexploretheideaofaglobalcommunity.
AnotheraspectofgainingaglobalperspectiveisunderstandingwheretheUnitedStatesfitsintermsoftheworldviewpoint.Whilethismaynotalwaysmakeforaprettyorencouragingdiscussion,itisbothinformativeandsoberingtorealizehowpeoplefrommanyotherareasoftheglobeviewAmericans.Whilethesemaybestereotypesjustaswestereotypeothers,itisimportanttolearn