Living Abroad

Living abroad can be a life- changing experience. In 2013 the United States received more than 4.1 million international students, all who identify themselves as having a life changing experience. There are several reasons why these students decide to live abroad and the main factor that influences them is the idea or learning a new language, getting to know a different culture, or simply exploring the world.  After hearing multiple stories from students moving to a foreign land to continue their education, we can understand that these are changes that can ­drastically transform someone’s life. Some of those crucial changes include: learning a new language, adapting to a new diet, and learning how to be away from their family and home.

Learning a new language is a skill that may be fundamental when trying to find a job or to communicate with people from other cultures, but is a skill that requires a lot of commitment and effort. When someone decides to move to another country, learning the language that is primary in that country is completely different than learning a language just as a hobby. For example, when someone studies French in New York, it’s going to be extremely different than if the same person ­travels to Paris and tries to communicate in the city with actual native speakers. In fact, only the people who have traveled around the word would identify this as a challenging situation, making the idea of learning a new language is a truly life-changing experience.

Water might seem simple and normal, regardless of the country you are. But, the truth is that every single food or drink can drastically change every time we move geographically. For example, Fruits in the Caribbean are way more sweet and diverse than in North America or even Europe. That is the main reason that living abroad is a life changing experience because not only tastes, and flavors vary; combinations, alternatives, and choices changes as well.

Leaving your loved ones is always going to be a hard situation, especially for people in cultures that family is their number one priority. Living without your loved ones means not having them close to share daily moments or family members to talk with as soon as we arrive home. Despite the lonely moments, some people decide to live abroad to explore new things or to try to find better opportunities. Unfortunately, those are situations where you must sacrifice family and take a plane far away from home.

Living abroad ­­ certainly can be a life changing experience because learning new cultures, languages, and characteristics that change someone’s point of view. It is not only after you living abroad that you understand the different cultures and subcultures there are all around the world and how everyone can have different styles to do the same task; some will greet a person by kissing them on the cheek and ­ others by waving their hands across the room. Living abroad is not an easy experience you should be opened minded and emotionally strong, but it is an experience that is totally worth the try.