In high
school (british) and college it
is likely that you will receive some kind of encouragement to travel, study or
work abroad. It may seem like you have a lot going on so you don’t seriously
consider these opportunities or maybe you write them off since you plan on
traveling later in life. I would encourage traveling at any age, but the
earlier you can learn the lessons travel teaches the better. When you are young
you are still finding yourself and preparing for your school and career. The
skills and experience you gain from traveling abroad can (American) give you
life-long personal benefits as well as a leg up in the professional world. In
high school and college you have the luxury of having flexibility since you can
study anywhere in the world and have relatively long study breaks. It is a
prime time to take advantage of your freedom and youth.
Top 6 reasons to travel abroad while you are young:
1. You’ll Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
As young people most of us have a pretty
established comfort zone. At home with mom and dad, in a community that has
known you for probably a good part of your life. You have your established,
friends, activities, hangouts and possibly jobs. We become comfortable in these
daily roles and the idea of breaking out them can be scary and uncomfortable. The
problem is, you learn the most in uncomfortable, unfamiliar situations. In our
daily routines, you know how to act and respond to people and your
surroundings. Being in a new place, with different people, who hold different
values and go about life differently (or not so differently you may find)
strips all that familiarity away. It can be scary, but once you figure out that
you can connect with people despite differences, and you can navigate foreign
environments, you become a smarter, more competent individual. Embrace the
discomfort. Search for it, because it is helping you grow.
2. Traveling Builds Confidence
As you conquer the obstacles of figuring out how
to use public transit in a foreign country, or asking for simple things in a
grocery store, you are building a confidence and ability to adapt in foreign
situations. I remember moving to a country where I spoke little to none of the
language. When I returned home, I moved across the country to a state where I
had no family, friends or connections. The prospect of that move may have
intimidated me before living abroad, but then I thought to myself, ‘Well, if I
can do it abroad in a completely foreign system, I will be just fine in a place
where I at least share the language.’ You realize
(American) that you can do things, despite the obstacles and suddenly the
obstacles seem less obstructive and more like welcomed challenges.
3. You Will Develop Cultural Sensitivity
Being culturally sensitive is key in our
globalizing world. It is not enough to say “people from X country are like
this.” It is important to look for underlying values that may explain a certain
behavior (American) in order to practice cultural sensitivity. A good
example is when I was in Spain (especially in the south), where
they take a 2-3 hour siesta and lunch in the middle of their work day. Many
people view this cultural norm as the people just being lazy when it really has
a lot more to do with the fact that historically Spaniards value family face
time. Eating together as a family is more important to them than maximizing
work time by scarfing a sandwich down at their desks. Being aware of cultural
values and norms is not only fascinating, but can help us understand
international issues and conflicts, or even relate to the cultural norms of a
foreign business partner. It is an important skill to be able to shift
perspectives and see where someone else is coming from.
Cultural sensitivity will help you with your
communication on both business and personal levels.
4. You Can Adapt to Globalization
Whether you like it or not, with the internet and
social media, we are globalizing quickly. It is not unlikely that you would end
up with a job that
has you travel for business or take part in conference calls
with international business partners. In our globalizing world it is important
to be culturally sensitive and it can’t hurt to know a foreign language. In the
business world, having lived abroad can give you a competitive edge. Use the
confidence and cultural sensitivity that traveling helps you develop and help
it make you successful.
5. Be Immersed in a Second (or Third)
Language
Before I lived abroad I never truly understood
the beauty of becoming fluent or even proficient in another language. In the
United States we don’t need to know another language, or many would argue that.
Once you travel abroad you realize that especially in Europe, almost everyone
you meet speaks at least two languages somewhat proficiently. We in the
States have a bit of a disadvantage since geographically we cannot
country-hop as easily as Europeans can, and our only neighbors (American)
speak English and Spanish. This is why traveling, especially for us, is even
more important. I would argue that in the globalizing world it really can
only benefit you to speak another language. Not to mention, it opens up a whole
new world of people you can now connect with and understand that you would
never have gotten the chance to get to know had you never learned their
language. Living abroad is really the best way to learn a new language since you are
forced to challenge and practice your skills on a daily basis.
6. Infinite Opportunities to Network
I have studied and worked abroad and made some
incredibly valuable connections
(American). If you are interested in working internationally or even just
having a couch to stay on in a country that you love, never underestimate the
value of networking wherever you go. One thing I have learned in my time abroad
is that people are generally very friendly and love to talk about their home
and culture. This is not always the case, but more than often it is. Making
friendships abroad can make this big world seem a little smaller and help you
feel more connected wherever you go. The best advice I can give is to meet as
many people on your travels as you can. It will definitely make your time
abroad more enjoyable since the locals know best! Plus you never know when
these connections will come in handy in the future whether visiting each other
for fun or otherwise.
Vocabulary :
In high
school : di SMA
Can : dapat, bisa
Realize : Menyadari
Behavior : Tingkah laku
Neighbors : Tetangga
Connections : Hubungan
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