It is also beginning to be seen as a necessity by employers, according to the New York Times. It's easy to see the advantages of going abroad: exposure to other languages, customs and politics can make a student more worldly and experienced. With more and more U.S. companies spreading their reach globally, it makes sense to hire graduates who have had a taste of those foreign cultures and ways of life.
As a recent returnee from a Tech study abroad program, I can vouch for the benefits of the experience: I had a first-hand experience with immersion in Swiss and European culture, learned local customs, the Italian language and also had the chance to learn about the Swiss world perspective.
As a political science major, that helped me immensely with my interests and studies, and now a doctorate in international relations is an increasingly attractive career option because of that exposure. But please take my endorsement with a grain of salt: I have lived overseas before and come from a multi-ethnic background, so I was already enthusiastic and receptive to the cultural exposure.
Where studying abroad can really make a difference, though, is for our fellow Hokies who may have never traveled outside our nation, or been exposed to cultural diversity before coming to Virginia Tech. In fact, many Americans know little about the world around us, poll after poll shows that most Americans struggle with world geography or basic world history.
Not surprisingly, this can lead to hostility toward Americans in the rest of the world, especially in those nations that consider themselves "culturally superior" to our countrymen.
Anti-Americanism comes in many different forms, and for different motives, and depends on geographical regions, sensitivity to globalization and previous foreign relations with the U. S. After working on a comparative study about anti-Americanism, one common trend is that, despite what many Americans would expect, anti-Americanism has risen noticeably since 9/11.
This column will not focus on how that happened or how it mostly was in response to our reactions to the terrorist attacks (Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.), but to add a unique reason to study abroad: to act as American ambassadors.
I believe that studying abroad in this new post-9/11 era is not only advantageous for a student's college experience, but also to learn how America is perceived abroad, and to find out why, by discussing issues with the citizens of the country of your choice.
While not everyone dreams of working for the State Department and may not consider themselves to be a representative of their country, the hard fact is that we are, whether or not we like it. When Americans, especially students, travel or study abroad, they are viewed with scrutiny, and compared (perhaps unfairly) to stereotypes set by that respective culture or even our own images of America conveyed in our movies, on MTV and in TV programming.
Studying abroad has taken a new importance, not just for selfish reasons, or to help secure a great job, but also to try to compete with the negative portrayals of our society abroad. In conversations with many Swiss, Germans, Italians, and Britons, it is clear that many differentiate between Americans as a people and America as a government. In fact, some fellow Hokies and I met an Australian in a hostel who sheepishly admitted that "you four are the only Americans that I've ever liked".
Some may argue that it may be too little, too late, and that one person cannot change people's minds, nor really make a difference.
I encourage you, if you have ever considered studying abroad, to do it, and not only have the time of your life, but also to chip away at the wall of misconceptions.
Look, not everyone will want to argue politics with foreigners, but even by being kind and respectful of their rules and customs will make a small difference.
You may very well become that American that "was different" or was liked by that town or that guide. Not only will you appreciate other ways of life and culture, but you can return to the U. S. with a lifetime of memories, experiences, and the pride that you carried your nation's name in a positive light. So go do it.
Tech has an excellent study abroad office, and they can easily tailor a program to your needs. In fact, Tech runs several programs with Tech professors and Tech credit, and they work for a variety of majors.
To find out more about how you can study abroad, check out Tech's Education Abroad website at www.educationabroad.vt.edu and make the best decision of your life.
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