Not everything about global education revolves around work and future career choices, of course. Even during short study programs, students will be faced with hands-on learning experiences and challenges they must think their way through, or rely on others to help them out when this isn’t possible. This leads to a great deal of personal growth and the development of some personal skills that will benefit each participant in a huge number of different ways moving forward.
First, students will learn the valuable skill of self-reliance. Students who head off on their own will need to learn to navigate new places, which involves taking the initiative to ask for directions, communicating effectively with others who may not share the same language, and much more. This teaches students to rely on their own skills to solve problems and as a result, instills them with confidence.
A hearty dose of self-awareness is another benefit that can be found through a study abroad experience. As participants encounter cultural differences and ideologies that differ from their own, it promotes a healthy questioning of their standing beliefs. It also helps them to be more aware of cultural differences moving forward, allowing them to more easily create and maintain bonds with others who may be from a background entirely different than their own.