Some teachers think that international student exchange would be beneficial for all teenage school students. Do you think its advantages will outweigh the disadvantages?

It is believed by some teachers that all teenage school students would benefit a great deal from foreign

exchange

programmes. Despite some drawbacks of

this

idea, I think that the benefits are more significant. On the one hand, there are a number of major disadvantages when teenage students decide to engage in international

exchange

projects. The

first

drawback is

culture

shock.

Exchange

students might be faced with unfamiliar customs and different beliefs, which could easily lead to misunderstanding, tension and conflicts. It may be difficult for them to concentrate entirely on their studies when they are struggling to adapt to the new

culture

. Another disadvantage is that many students are unable to

followtheir

Suggestion

follow their

international learning programmes, leading to undesirable academic outcomes. Some of my friends,

for example

, have to re-sit the exams or have difficulties catching up with their lectures due to poor language skills. In my opinion,

however

, the benefits that

such

programmes bring to students are far more significant than the drawbacks.

Firstly

,

exchange

students

are given

Suggestion

is given

the opportunity to meet different people from all over the world and learn a range of skills that they might not have a chance to learn if studying in their home country.

For instance

, they can develop their social skills by sharing their experiences with other

exchange

students and get a deeper insight into the

culture

by immersing themselves in the local community. Another benefit is that living in a different country helps

exchange

students become more independent.

This

is because without daily support from their parents, these students have to learn to cook, clean, manage their budgets and make their own decisions. In conclusion,

althought

even though, in spite of the fact that

although

exchange

students might have difficulties in adapting to the new

culture

and following international school curriculums, I believe that the benefits of international

exchange

programmes do outweigh those drawbacks.