Study Abroad: 11 Empowering Stories That Will Inspire You to Be An International Student (Part 2)

“The best thing about my study abroad experience is the fact that I could grow faster as a person than I did when I was in my home country. I still remember this phrase from The Legend of Aang cartoon series. It was said by Iroh: ‘It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale.’ He simply meant that when a person stays in one place, there comes a time when the wisdom he could get from that place becomes stagnant and dead simply because you have seen it from many different angles and used it in many different ways. This is the reason I decided to go out of my home and to explore the rest of the world. I met personalities I never knew I would witness. So many things to learn, so little time. That makes adventure fun, doesn’t it? The fact that knowledge is unending is the reason our civilization still moves and breathes so are we, the individual parts of it. I have become so much more in South Korea. So many doors opened for me. Doors that could possibly lead to my lifelong career. It’s difficult to be alone in another country but that’s the point of it: be alone and learn by yourself. Always expect the worst, don’t live it, just expect it, so that everything else comes as a good surprise. It’s not always you have someone to guide you. Not even your family, nor your best friend, nor your dog, everyone. They are not always there.  And so I am here in my third year in Korea. I have 2 years more to spend before I graduate (hopefully). And my graduation will just become yet another start of a newer adventure. My message to the reader is to find a way to get out of the place you’ve been for in a long time. The world is bigger than you think. You won’t realize your true abilities if you’re inside a box. There’re so many mountains to climb, so many night skies to stare at as you dream your purpose in life. And if you did embark in this journey I hope you find happiness in it for that...is what makes us humans.”

“I think that the best thing about studying abroad is that you meet new people and new cultures. Additionally, you can improve your language skills and learn more about another university system and how it works in different countries. Sometimes you have to face challenges such as living in res or language barriers but it is worth it because you learn a lot about yourself and others! And of course, you can experience the country with all its things in an amazing way!”

“Spending time abroad has taught me new ways of thinking and working, which allow me to be more efficient in my professional life. Moreover, discovering new cultures enabled me to be more open-minded and have a different point of view on many aspects of life. Last but not least, I have improved my language skills, (English and German), which could have never been this good if I hadn't moved from France. To put it in a nutshell, studying abroad has made me a better person and a more attractive candidate professionally speaking. I would encourage everyone to spend some time abroad and figure out by themselves how great it is.“

“The best thing about studying abroad was being able to see incredible (things) while taking my major’s capstone class. In order to graduate on time, I needed to take some classes for my major over the summer—they only offer one class abroad. Poor me. I was able to see immense beauty and truly submerge myself within rich culture and history—it was my favorite part!! I highly recommend studying abroad if you have the chance and ability—it’s an opportunity you won’t soon forget!”

“The best thing about studying abroad is (the chance to) open your mind and yourself to new adventures. You go to study to a new country in a different system than the one on your home country, meet new people, get to know new culture. It is so wonderful because every day you get to discover new amazing things. At the same time, it is also challenging for yourself. It is a great experience to grow as a person and to become more independent.”