In our increasingly globalized world, taking a study tour to another country provides your child with a unique opportunity to develop skills that will benefit them both professionally and personally. Still, if you are a bit nervous about letting your son or daughter participate in a study abroad program, please try to focus on the positive impacts that this experience will bring.
Study tours teach students skills that are increasingly valuable such as adaptability, cultural awareness, teamwork, and field research. Future employers and graduate school admissions officials look very highly on travel abroad experiences. Students that travel abroad display diversity and show that they aren’t afraid to seek out new challenges or put themselves in difficult situations. This gives them a competitive edge in an increasingly difficult job market.
Adapting to culture shock, trying strange new foods, and figuring out a new mass transit system are all part of the experience they will have. Students often return home with a new sense of self-confidence in their abilities to navigate in new places, solve problems, meet new people, and adapt to life’s challenges. And this is a great mindset to have!
One of the most enriching experiences of studying abroad are the friendships students make with people from other cultures, and many of these friendships continue long after students return home. Your child will also likely be around others who are studying in their field, which can greatly expand their global, professional network.
Students get to know themselves better. They discover new interests and passions, develop a greater sense of independence, and maybe even find a new direction to their studies and career plans.
Whether it’s a violent protest on CNN or an action-thriller movie about kidnapped students, the media certainly doesn’t help parents’ fears over sending their children overseas. However, the vast majority of student travel experiences are incident-free. If you’re in the US, it’s even possible that your hometown has a higher crime rate than your child’s desired study tour destination. But no matter the statistics, make sure to talk to your child about health and safety issues.
Here at GROUND, we have the experience, resources, and local connections necessary to both help prevent any safety or health issues, as well as deal with them should they arise. GROUND partners with experts that can help address health and safety concerns for students who travel abroad and we are committed to the operation of safe and secure study experiences:
As you balance your natural parental concerns against the rewards of a study tour abroad, you will hopefully begin to be more comfortable with your child’s plans to study abroad. When they return, they will have many great memories and rich lessons from their amazing study tour!
