SPECIAL ISSUE

I’ve asked 15 students and alumni who have studied abroad whether they would recommend it. They all said yes — and a few even believe study abroad should be required to graduate. Here’s why:

• “I not only recommend, but I believe it should be a requirement. People that travel abroad and experience different cultures and ways of life become more open-minded and learn to adapt more easily. Both of these qualities are crucial to succeed in life today.” —Luciano Araujo, France, summer 2010
• “Oh, definitely, definitely. I think it should actually be mandatory. It helps you to deal better with other cultures, different mentalities. You learn a lot about a different culture, so it broadens your horizon.” —Natasha Kaluby, France, fall 2009
• “I absolutely would recommend this to other students.  The most beneficial thing about studying abroad, in my opinion, is the deeper understanding you can acquire of people from different backgrounds.  By accepting the role of minority, and making yourself vulnerable to a culture’s stereotypes, you really gain valuable insight to what people have to deal with in our country, as well as all over the world.  Although some people can also travel for this purpose, studying abroad provides a true immersion experience through classroom content as well as required interaction with people from that country.” —Cristine Busser, France, summer 2009
• “Yes, definitely. For me, it was very fulfilling, and I learned more than I could ever imagine learning on a trip.” —Virginia Engestrom, Mexico, October 2009
• “Oh, definitely. You just learn so much about another culture — and you get credits out of the way.” —Brandon Hall, Spain, spring 2010
• “Oh, definitely, without a doubt. If you can do it, you most definitely should.” —Eva Cantillo, Spain, summer 2010
• “Yes, definitely. I encourage everyone to do it. It was such a good experience in my life.” —Cindy Handle, Sweden, spring 2010

Of course, study abroad isn’t all gondola rides and Eiffel Tower picnics. So, I also asked students and alumni who’ve studied abroad what the hardest part of the experience was. They cited the language barrier most frequently, but every challenge can be overcome if not considered a benefit:

• “Trying to make the locals understand what I’m saying. It can get very frustrating sometimes when you need something important. But it is also the best part of studying abroad, and that frustration leads to motivation to learn. And there are a few cultural things that I can’t get used to, like their toilet, for example. It’s not like a seat but more of a hole that you need to squat to do your business.” —Dwayne Hannam, China, spring 2011 through fall 2011
• “Learning a little bit of the language was a little bit of a challenge, but you pick up the important things really quickly. If you’re studying abroad, maybe take a language class while you’re there. Even if it’s just a beginner level, it’ll help you.” —Natasha Kaluby, France, fall 2009
• “The language barrier. The rest was pretty easy.” —Kevin Menschel, Italy, summer 2009
• “Learning the intricate history of England and how things came to be was really difficult. It wasn’t an easy class, and it’s kind of like taking an in-depth view of colonial history but doing that for a totally different country that you don’t understand the traditions or the practices. So you can’t relate as often as the folks there do.” —Trevor Raborn, England, summer 2007
• “Not having that ideal person to share the experience with. The girls in the program were great, but cliques formed pretty quickly. Many people knew each other from the schools they came from. The good side to this is that I was allowed the right amount of independence to do and see the things I wanted to see, but had people when I wanted to go out for dinner or share other things with. Other than that, I can’t think of anything else that was particularly difficult.” —Cristine Busser, France, summer 2009
• “Trying not be jaded throughout the semester and to enjoy each place as a new experience. Many students lost the thrill and sense of excitement that they had at the start of the semester, and ended up complaining a lot. To other students considering study abroad, I would highly recommend keeping a journal or a blog of all your thoughts and experiences as a way of processing everything that’s happening in a constructive way.” —Amalia Mermingas, Semester at Sea, fall 2009
• “The reverse culture shock when you come home is something to deal with.” —David Saginor, Spain, spring and fall 2010
• “I can’t say there was anything that was really hard. It was just getting all your paperwork together.” —Cindy Handle, Sweden, spring 2010
• “I can’t think of any. It wasn’t a difficult experience. There are things that you’re not that familiar with, but I think that’s part of the fun, that’s part of what’s exciting about it.” —Beiqi Darren In, Western Europe, summer 2009

There’s more: This article is part of a special issue about study abroad. To read more articles from the issue, see the “Related Articles” box beneath the photos.