Why study abroad?

While it is generally believed that studying abroad is one of the greatest life-changing experiences students can make not only to hone their language skills but also to develop an independent mind, other people argue that spending a year abroad only entails hardships. However, despite some inconveniences, I still believe that spending a certain time period abroad is tremendously beneficial to Austrian students who study English.

Although some students have to deal with financial difficulties due to the increasing costs of attending university and the monthly living expenses, one can safely say that it is not impossible to afford the costs, owing to the opportunities students have nowadays, such as the ERASMUS program or financial benefits.

Students might also end up suffering from homesickness and feel overburdened as a result of new challenges; however, this is not necessarily a bad thing. It is rather an opportunity to discover new strengths and abilities in order to be able to cope with new tasks and overcome difficulties. In fact, students eventually become more self-confident and independent.

Undoubtedly, there is no better and more effective way to speak a language fluently than to live in a culture where the language is practiced on a daily basis. An extended stay in a foreign country does not only enable students to take courses not offered at their home universities, but also provides them with the possibility to become acquainted with the culture and come across new people at the same time, which is certainly an invaluable gain in experience.

To sum up, there are both advantages and disadvantages in studying abroad; but ultimately, the advantages seem to prevail over the difficulties students may encounter.