Studying abroad, good or not?
... The main benefits of studying abroad are academic ones. Generally, the education level are higher than our country. This is because that their schools, colleges and universities in particular, has up-to-date equipment, complete libraries and other resources. Also, teachers and lecturers are highly-skilled professionals who are aware of all the latest developments in their fields of interest. Another important point is that their opening teaching system which encourages students to discuss problems together ,express their own opinions and find new solutions by their own. Moreover, the qualification that a student obtains are valid usually anywhere in the world. As well as obvious academic benefits, by the daily communication with others, we also improve their second-language skills quickly. Furthermore, they will discover many differences in terms of culture, way of thinking, history, customs and lifestyle. A final point is that they can meet much more new people in campus or workplace who may be not friendly enough or have a different view of value towards the world. Thus, they gain a broader experience of life in general. What is more, they will become more tolerant and open-minded and develop many interpersonal skills. They will be more independent and emotionally mature as they have lived apart from their family for a long time and dealt with many living problems. In fact, there are many people who benefit from studying abroad. They have achieved their original goals and be more confident to face the challenge in our country. Moreover, some students are so excellent abroad that they receive praise from both professors and foreign friends. However, studying abroad could also influence people in negative ways. Most importantly, if students haven¡¯t prepared well academically and master the foreign language before going abroad, they could have a lot of difficulties following lectures and doing assignments. In addition, young students may have problems adjusting to a new culture and could feel loneliness and homesick. Anther problem could be that they adjust so much to western culture, their way of thinking is altered and they lose their national identity. When they finally return home, they may also have problems to readjust to their original culture. A final problem is that they could become a victim of discrimination because their behavior and customs may be very different from those of the inhabitants of the host culture. They may encounter unfriendliness, or even hostility reactions from others, which causes you feel embarrassed and sad. Well, by summing up the experience of my friends studying abroad, together with some reports in newspaper, I get a general idea about students who suffer from a lot of troubles and pains. They are mediocre and confused, or even lose themselves. Some of them can¡¯t understand the lecturers¡¯ English at all after studying there for a long time, since they are so introverted that they seldom communicate with others actively. Some just learn how to have fun, quarrel, fight and take drugs, thus becoming a person who only wastes time and money. And they always consider higher than others and look down upon everything in our motherland after returning, although they nearly incapable to do anything! Furthermore, some young students lose their lives because of discrimination and some kill persons as they are mentally unbalanced...