The Value of An Overseas Experience
Emma Jeong
“Since life is short and the world is wide,
the sooner you start exploring it, the better.” - Simon Raven
Have you ever been to another country? I hope your answer was ‘YES!’
Whether that be for volunteering or simply traveling, visiting a place outside your home country is always a great experience. But you might be asking, “Why? Why are overseas experiences worth the time and effort you put into?” Well...
It Gives You Perspective
This is especially true when it comes to volunteering or service activities. In Grade 8, my friends and I went to Cambodia for the SLL Trip, where we mainly focused on building houses for impoverished families and teaching elementary school students. There, we were able to witness the global issues of poverty and oppression with our own eyes, communicate with people who have suffered from them, and eventually come up with possible ways to solve the problems. I say, and I say this with confidence, that it was once of the most memorable and valuable experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life.
One of the main reasons why our planet is so beautiful is because there are so many unique individuals living on it. Nobody is the same; everyone has different opinions, ideas, personalities, and most of the times, those are things that are heavily impacted by the environment they live in and the culture they come from. If you stayed in your hometown for your entire life, the way you view things will be limited to that of the people around you or the people that you are close with. But that’s not all there is. Life is all about learning and empathizing, and in order to do so, you can’t always secure yourself with what you already know and have. Instead, you have to expose yourself to new people, new surroundings, and new cultures to see the same things from different perspectives.
Sometimes It’s Hard, But You Learn From It
Let me tell you a little story. When I was in 6th grade, my family and I moved to San Jose, California, where we stayed for about a year. I was not at all fluent in English, and was much more introverted and shy than I am right now especially when I’m around people that I don’t know. I often felt small, judged, and simply ‘not enough.’ It was definitely one of the hardest times in my life. But what I would like to emphasize is not the fact that it was difficult, but the fact that I am able to talk about it right now.
Sure, staying and/or studying abroad in a language that you are not familiar with can be very overwhelming, daunting, and even painful at times. But remember, being challenged is what makes you grow and improve as a person. I had to push myself to overcome my fears and come out of my comfort zone, and in the process, I learned a lot. I learned to be a better English speaker, a better student, and a better person who knows how to cope with stressful situations. So from now on, I ask you to take your question of ‘What if I fail?’ and try to open your mind and seek opportunities to visit new places in the world. I promise that by the time you come back, you will be proud of how far you’ve grown.
The World Is Waiting For You
It’s true. The world is too wide and full of exciting people and ideas for you to simply waste it, sitting on a chair in your room. So get up and be a part of it!