“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”

A quote I read from Terry Pratchett to which I believe true to myself. People say it is a different cultural experience. It is mind blowing, educational, and fun. It is an experience not to miss, and never too late to experience.

As an aspiring young adult, I have always wanted to study abroad. During high school I attempted to search and apply for many exchange programs even though I knew I probably wouldn’t get to go due to my parents’ finance. I knew I had to wait until my college years to study abroad. So when fall semester of freshman year came, I finally took a step and attempted to find opportunities to study abroad.

When I was given the University of Minnesota’s study abroad catalog, I looked through every program that was offered. I wanted to make sure I find the right program that fit me. I didn’t really care where I go, I just wanted to taste the cultural experience and travel. Still unsure of which program to pick I scheduled an appointment with a study abroad advisor and went to visit her. By visiting her, I have found many programs that fit me and my goals. We looked up volunteering programs, global seminars, and exchange programs. My advisor also advised me on finance issues and the next steps after finding a program.

Within a few days of meeting my advisor I found a program I wanted to go to. I decided to chose to study abroad in Buenos, Argentina. The global seminar specializes in Leadership and Social Change. Participating in this program would qualify me for Global and Perspective, Civic Life and Ethics Themes, and Historical Perspectives. Going through with this program could also offer me credits towards a Leadership minor if I wanted to pursue it. Studying abroad in Argentina was definitely a huge package deal. With no second thoughts, I decided to apply to the program right away before the deadline was cut. As soon as I applied, I had to start signing up for scholarships which was due mid week of October.

After signing up and confirming to study abroad, through much thinking, I unexpectedly decided to decline my studying abroad. As hard as it was to decline it, a part of me felt like I wasn’t set to go just yet. I was not financially stable, and everything just came by too quick. Through it all, I kept myself positive, because even if I didn’t study abroad now, I will still have three more years to study abroad. Now that I am in college, I can finally look at the programs the U has offer, and plan ahead to be ready the next time I sign up.

Having to go through the process of how to apply to study abroad makes me feel more comfortable to do it in the future. With my personally experience, I can now help guide my peers on what they need to do to get started. I remember how I felt at the beginning of the semester when I wanted to search for programs to study abroad. I honestly didn’t know where to start or when to begin. Some word of advice from me is that, the earlier you start thinking about studying abroad, the more prepared you will be!

Planning ahead allows students to think about all the pros and cons of studying abroad. Studying abroad is a guaranteed investment of knowledge, fun, and experience. As a participant, students will make new friends and connections abroad. Sometimes, these connections can lead to future professionals abroad! They will get to experience different cultures hands-on through the people of their designation. Through the programs, students will earn a different perspective and adapt/learn new teaching styles from different cultures. Because of these wonderful experiences, thousands of miles always from their parents, will teach students to become more independent. After the whole trip, more benefits are gained as they are qualified as a value candidate with international experience, foreign language skills, and ability to communicate across cultures.

Even though many benefits are gained, there are still some cons about studying abroad. Some students tend to develop feelings of loneliness, sometimes due to homesickness or inability to communicate. Others may experience cultural shock and inability to adapt. Sometimes, high fees and living cost can arise depending on the country. However, there are always ways around the cons of studying abroad.

I think the most effective way dealing with loneliness or homesickness is by limiting students on how often they communicate back home. By limiting communication, students will get the chance to explore and take their mind off home. Perhaps, it will help students recall their main sole purpose of studying abroad in the first place. As for the studying abroad tuition, planning ahead is always a great ordeal to consider. Financial aid can also be adjusted to help aid for part of the trip. Otherwise, loans is a considerable factor when studying abroad.