Why Study Abroad?

Tomorrow afternoon my oldest son will board a plane from the US and head to Switzerland to attend college there. And because of the crazy high cost of college here, the cost is about the same, including travel. Sounds exciting, doesn't it?  He will be there for 4 months. Oh lucky him. As a now experienced parent of kids who have studied in different countries, I am kind of an advocate for the experience. I will tell you why. With this foreign travel the young, (he's 19) scared kids get the challenge of adventure and the feeling of empowerment. All under the security of a college environment, which means advisers available, a health clinic easily accessible, and peers doing the same thing. The kids have to do all kinds of stuff on their own, make flight arrangements, schedule classes long ahead of time, figure out how to get places and budget their money, adapt to cultural norms etc. Independently, yet still with the safeguard and security of college life. They see they can do it! What a feeling! And then they come back home with a sense of accomplishment that is self satisfying. Wow. Big time life lessons. Most importantly they come home and are suddenly aware of things that were always in front of their noses that they never noticed before or realized how much they cared about. Their life perspective changes, matures, because they begin to understand just how good they have it. Bon Voyage!