The Myths and Virtues of Studying Abroad
Written by Chris Brummett April 23, 2018
The trope of a college student returning from their semester abroad filled to the brim with pretentious ideas and “authentic” pronunciations is well documented. Many students go abroad thinking that going to different countries and eating different foods will make them drastically more cultured and knowledgable, as though staring at the Colosseum is somehow able to transform a person intellectually.
That isn’t to say that traveling isn’t an enriching and worthwhile experience, it is just that I have found that anyone telling you how you just MUST experience an authentic Italian pizza is most likely just attempting to brag in the most socially acceptable way possible. These ideas of transformation and growth through sights and travels are what I call the myths of studying abroad.
Funnily enough, the main virtue of studying abroad is only a stone throw away from the myths of studying abroad. Personal development and growth is certainly possible while abroad, but it’s much more likely to come from the weeds of the program. The constant planning, researching, traveling, and applying/interviewing for internships is where it really happens.
Now that I am wrapping up my time here at CIMBA I can say that while studying abroad certainly provides plenty of fun times and experiences, it was also the most intense of any of my college semesters. The constant moving, sleep deprivation, and looking ahead results in a lethal combination of stress and forced responsibility.
I find that many of my friends and I have a little apprehension about entering the “real world” after college. We’re fairly sure we will be fine but a certain percentage of uncertainty still remains. The main thing that studying abroad provides is an opportunity to put some of those thoughts to the test. After problem-solving various travel issues, planning trips to ten countries, arranging an internship for the summer/fall, and going through the various CIMBA requirements, I feel fairly confident in my ability to be at least competent when I graduate from college in a year.
I may be feeling pretty exhausted as I write this and am even slightly looking forward to going home at this point, but do not let this steer you away from studying abroad if you are considering it. You will absolutely be glad that you did it if it is even remotely possible for you. Just please try to spare the rest of us at home from corrections on how to pronounce Barcelona and Munich when you get back home.
