<p>^ America is not the wealthiest country in the world.</p>
<p>Depending on how you base wealth, based on GDP we are the wealthiest.</p>
<p>Do you mean nominal gdp, or ppp?</p>
<p>nominal. I know there are better ways to measure wealth.</p>
<p>The opportunity to study abroad for most of us is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Life is short, use it or lose it.</p>
<p>I did a semester abroad in Denmark, studying at an adjunct to University of Copenhagen that had classes in English. The other students were mostly American and from all over the US. We all lived with Danish host families.</p>
<p>This was one of the most enriching experiences of my life. The kids in the program were for the most part a more interesting and adventurous group than average college students. </p>
<p>Living with a host family sharpened my ideas about life as an American.</p>
<p>With few exceptions, you’ll miss nothing by being absent from your home Campus for a semester or two. The most important change will be within yourself. </p>
<p>Oh yeah, hoping on a train or plane for an affordable weekend visit to another country is a pretty thrilling experience.</p>
<p>I agree: an extended vacation can be a mind-expanding experience.</p>
<p>I go for study abroad program. It really could bring out the best in you. Might get bored at first but I’m sure things would become a lot easier for you eventually.</p>
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<p>study in new zealand</p>
<p>A semester abroad is wonderful, but not everyone can do it. A great alternative is a summer study abroad experience. My son attended the Music Theater Bavaria summer study abroad program and loved it - it offers a summer musical theatre program and a summer opera program for ages 18 and up. Website is:
[Music</a> Theater Bavaria - Summer Musical Theater and Opera Training Program](<a href=“http://www.musictheaterbavaria.org%5DMusic”>http://www.musictheaterbavaria.org)</p>
<p>I think it’s hard for people to say they never missed it if they never went. On what basis are you judging an experience you never had? To live in a global society you have to live in it–not just read about it. One way to live in a global society is to begin with a study abroad program. I’ve insisted all my children study at least one term abroad. For me, it was life-changing: Vienna! There is no question my profession is a direct result from my time studying abroad. For my oldest who read at Oxford, same thing. Two more to go! Son looking toward LSE in London. Youngest daughter, Paris possibly.</p>
<p>Yes! You have to experience studies abroad - who never tried this, don’t know what is missing. This experience will entirely change your life. I’d spent my semester abroad - <a href=“http://www.studylivework.com”>study in Slovakia</a> is one of the greatest experiences of the whole my life.</p>
<p>I really wish that i had managed to do a semester abroad. I thought about it and then decided to wait because of funds. I ended up never making it and feel like i really missed out. I have a sibling that did a semester in France and had such a great experience. If you have the cash to do so, it is a good idea.</p>
<p>When you can spend some time in another country and have a chance to absorb some of the culture, even for just a semester, it will teach you so much. You will learn things that you can’t even imagine at this point because you don’t realize how different another culture can be with daily immersion.</p>
<p>It is definitely not going to be a waste of time or money to take this step. You will probably have such an incredible experience. Immersing yourself in another culture is a the most effective way to broaden your understanding of humans in general and to change your perspective about the world.</p>
<p>So you shouldn’t study in England even if it’s Oxbridge?</p>
<p>"So you shouldn’t study in England even if it’s Oxbridge? " </p>
<p>How did you interpret that from this thread?</p>
<p>^Not sure where VienneseLights got the anti Oxbridge thing. My oldest read US foreign policy at Oxford her junior year (talk about mind-blowing, examining our country from a European perspective!) and then international relations for her MPhil. She felt the quality of education and rigor expected was high on both fronts and opened all the doors for her work today. She did, however, leave it all with the opinion that there is great value in a US-based liberal arts education, which is not the way the English program work. She told my son NOT to apply to Oxford (and obviously, he would have been disowned if he even spoke the “C” word in our family) for undergraduate, but to read there if he wants for his junior year, just as she did. In the end, she got the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>I think a semester abroad is an essential part of college . My kids all agree .It is interesting to view America through another country’s eyes .</p>
<p>I definitely see how VienneseLights got that impression because I was actually wondering that myself until I got to the last page and some people mentioned going to Oxford. On all the pages before there is a constant litany of “study abroad is only worth it if you’re going to learn a new language and immerse yourself in a new culture”, and “studying abroad in England or Ireland is a waste of time” and “there’s little point in studying abroad anywhere in Western Europe” and even a recommendation to become a Rhodes Scholar instead as if there aren’t only 96 of them in the world (32 in the US) each year. </p>
<p>Honestly, I’ve always thought that any country that is not the US would have a culture unlike the US. I have never been to Europe though, so I wonder if all these people are saying this based on their personal experiences.</p>
<p>During my undergraduate years, I took up studying abroad in Europe. It was for 1 semester (about 5 months). I didn’t realize how useful it was until grad school. The lessons learned living in a different culture can be carried over into many of life’s situations</p>
<p>My daughter did Busapest Semesters in Math the first semester of Sr year. She was already familiar with quite a few profs in the department, one she continued a research project via telecomuting, that was her #1 recommdation for grad school. One grad school where she was accepted told her it was a very good program and so it enhanced her CV, taught her a bit of Hungarian and gave her an opportunity to travel a bit afterward.</p>
<p>Hi I’m a newbie writing from university in Japan. Thank you for your question, gingeralelover. I think study abroad is worthy. In this summer, I will go to Canada to study English. I want to learn other things there. For example, Canadian culuture, Canadian foods, and so on. Study abroad give not only making progress in my English but also I can get various knowledges. In addition, I can grow. That’s why I think it is wothy.</p>
<p>I personally think that if you have the chance to study abroad, you might as well. If you feel that you will be missing out on a whole semester, why not choose to study abroad during the summer. Not only are you not missing class, but depending where you go, you might like the weather lol.</p>