Study Abroad

Nowadays many students have the opportunity to study for part or all of their courses in foreign countries. While studying abroad brings many benefits to individual students, it also has a number of disadvantages. Do you agree or disagree?

The number of students joining international exchange programmes has surged dramatically. It is widely deemed that students’ horizon are broadened with an in-depth understanding of a multicultural environment. Nonetheless, there are those who contend that without parents’ guidance, exchanged students’ behavior is influenced by their peers. In this sense, whether studying abroad are beneficial to students is yet to be ascertained.

From one stance, it is widely acknowledged that studying abroad helps students to master foreign languages. Furthermore, problem-solving skills are enhanced as a result of being independence, in addition to daily communication to foreigners, which allow them a superior adaption in contacting individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds. Time and again, misunderstandings that usually take place during multicultural meetings would be diminished.

From another stance, a staggering number of individuals claim that children’s behavior is changed upon their return to their home country. Ample research has demonstrated a higher incidence, in the group of students who are studying abroad, in smoking, alcohol and drug abuse. It is evident that lack of parents’ guidance, children are influenced by peers.

By and large, it is axiomatic that studying abroad for a period of time has its own beneficial and detrimental implications. To my way of thinking, it is imperative for students to experience a foreign culture in order to enhance their competitiveness, meanwhile, it is significant that mature students should be chosen only to withstand the peer pressure which they encounter while living abroad.