Universities students are increasingly studying abroad as part of their studies. Do the advantages of studying abroad outweigh the disadvantage ?

Many university students routinely study in other institutes around the world as part of their degree.

Although

students will often struggle, cultural and linguistic challenges while abroad. They will

also

gain significant life experiences that will reward them later on in their careers. In my opinion students are far from better off having studied in a different country, despite the challenges that they will inevitably face. The greatest benefit of studying abroad is that students will have life experiences that will improve themselves as people that would have been

otherwise

impossible if they had only studied in their own countries. Being in another country requires people to push themselves beyond the norms into unusually difficult experiences.

For example

, when I studied in Indonesia and India as a twenty-year-old, I was a continually pushed out of my comfort zone into psychological states that were unique and novel and that I had to adopt no matter what. These ultra-challenging experiences are paradoxically the main advantage of studying overseas because they make you grow as a person. The main challenges that student will face while overseas will usually stem from cultural and linguistic differences.

This

difference can cause massive obstacles for people because they require one to move beyond the familiar and into the unknown which can often be awkward and scary.

For instance

, while a study in Indonesia I had to frequently make a fool of myself in order to communicate with local people in their language. Often times, I felt embarrassed and I longed to speak in English and be in the familiarity of my own culture. Studying overseas has become incredibly common, why students will no doubt experience social and language barrier, it is in fact

this

barrier that leads to the main advantage of studying abroad which is personal growth.As a contradiction of a sort, it is a hardship that ultimately makes the experience of a studying abroad more advantageous than disadvantageous.