More and more university students decide to take a year abroad. The experience it´s about gaining knowledge from a different educational institution, but also about learning a new language, culture and way of approching life. We have thought about the main benefits of packing your suitcase and leave youe confort zone, and these are these are the results:
1. Broadening horizons
Students are used to the same streets, classes, even professors. After the first couple of years at university everything happens at the same pace and is somehow predictable. Taking the decission of going abroad means changing all these known dynamics and facing new challenges! It´s proven that broadening your horizons is benefitial both personally and professionally.
2. Becoming bilingüal
There is no better way to learn a language than living in a country where people speak it. Studying aborad give students the opportunity to be surrounded by native speakers, media and everyday life situations which will help them became bilingüal.
3. Cultural immersion
Getting used to the same faces and cultural backgrounds is dangerous: it limits our perception of the world. Studying aborad confronts students with different realities, a very useful feature for their future.
4. Career boost
Several research studies prove that students with an international background have better CVs, meaning their experience is more attractive for employers. It implies they would be more open minded and flexible, having been exposed to different mindsets and experiences.
5. International friends
Might sound less important than the job part but it might even more. During their experiences abroad international students make friends that in some cases will last forever.
6. Those friends will sometimes become an international professional network
Yes, years after finishhing studying, the international friends students make during their abroad years will turn into an international network which might be useful professionally.
7. Life experience
It´s not only about a new country, it´s a bout all the new places, people, habbits, food and perespectives they will be facing. The world is an oyster, traveling is the best way to discover it!
