仔细看AppreciatingOtherCultures

　　Wecansayalmostwithoutexceptionthatlivingabroadisthebestwaytobroadenyourhorizonsandincreaseyourappreciationforotherculturesandpeople.Livinginadifferentcultureallowsyoutolearnitfromtheinsideout.Particularlyifyouarelivingwithahostfamilyorwithforeignstudentswhobringyouintotheirgroup,youwilllearnmoreinafewweeksthanyoucouldinyearsofstudyingtextbooks.

　　LittleBlunders

　　Theexperienceoflivinginanotherculturecanalsoteachushow'strange'someofourownassumptionsare.Trylookingforanysortofestablishmentabroadthatisopen24/7foryourconvenience.Weguaranteeyouwillnotfindmany.(Atleastnotofthesortthatyoushouldbegoingto!)

　　LifeinmanyotherareasoftheworldtendstomoveatadifferentpaceandvaluedifferentidealsthanAmericanculture.AlthoughyoualsomaybesurprisedoccasionallyatthestrangeplacesthatAmericadoesintrude(suchashearingBritneySpearsblaringonamarketstreetinthemiddleofGuatemala).Savorthechancetogetawayfromthefamiliarandlearnfrompeoplethathaveanentirelydifferentbackgroundandpreconceptions.(Keepinmindthateveryonehaspreconceptions;wejustusuallydonotthinkaboutthemsincetheyinformandguideusallthetimewithoutusconsciouslyreferencingthem.)

　　DifferentLifestyles

　　Onepieceofadviceforpickingaschoolforstudyabroadwouldbetopickatypeofinstitutionthatdiffersgreatlyfromyourhomeschool.Ifyougotoasmallschool,pickabigone,ifyouareonaruralcampus,movetoanurbancampus,andviceversa.Lookforsomeplacethatwillgiveyouasdiverseanexperienceaspossible.

　　Anewvarietyofavailableclassesmayalsobeanunexpectedbenefitofstudyingabroad.Ifyouattendasmallschoolnormally,andpickalargerschoolforstudyingabroad,youmayfindthatthenewschooloffersthatobscureclassinchildren'sfantasyliteraturethatyouhavealwayswishedexistedatyourschool.Theonlywaytodiscovertheseopportunitiesistocarefullyexaminewhatdifferentschoolsoffer.

　　GlobalPerspective

　　Thosereturningfromstudiesabroadalsotendtoexclaimattheirincreasedunderstandingoftheworldandtheglobalperspectivetheyacquired.Itisnotonlytheexperienceoflearningaboutanotherculturethatincreasesglobalperspective,itislearningfromthosethatalreadyhaveamoreglobalperspectivethemselves.

　　FewnationstodaymaintainasmuchisolationandgenerallackofglobalperspectiveastheUnitedStatesandhercitizens.MostEuropeansyoutalktowillexpressamazementatthepercentageofAmericansthathaveneverbeenoutofthecountry,anddonotevenhavetheirpassports.Peoplefrommostothernationstendtobemoreawareoftheworldaroundthemoutofnecessityifnothingelse.Studyingabroadaffordstheunparalleledopportunitytonotonlylearnaboutthecountryinwhichyouarestudyingbutalsotovisitneighboringcountriesandtoexploretheideaofaglobalcommunity.

　　AnotheraspectofgainingaglobalperspectiveisunderstandingwheretheUnitedStatesfitsintermsoftheworldviewpoint.Whilethismaynotalwaysmakeforaprettyorencouragingdiscussion,itisbothinformativeandsoberingtorealizehowpeoplefrommanyotherareasoftheglobeviewAmericans.Whilethesemaybestereotypesjustaswestereotypeothers,itisimportanttolearn