Community College Study Abroad Programs Are Unbelievably Mind-Blowing

Extending College Outside of Your Community: Studying Abroad From a Two-Year Community College

Community colleges may not come with a lot of the college staples that exist in more traditional colleges and universities, but that doesn't mean you still can't access plenty of exciting educational opportunities when you attend these two-year institutions. In fact, more and more community colleges across the country are offering study abroad programs for students who want to experience a new culture while working toward their degrees. If you've just discovered that your school offers this life-changing opportunity, but aren't yet sure if it's the best choice for you, consider the following in-depth look at studying abroad as a community college student.

Why Study Abroad?

Studying abroad can be expensive and it forces you to leave the comfortable familiarity of your college town, so why should college students choose this overseas opportunity over simply learning at home? For one, studying in a foreign land offers a non-stop learning experience for students who may have only experienced the limited perspective of the United States. Although students can read about other cultures, study languages and research the unique characteristics of different countries from the library, nothing compares to the experience of actually seeing these foreign lands for yourself, eating foreign foods and speaking the language of a new country with its natives.

Have you ever heard the phrase "well-rounded" used to describe someone's character? Studying abroad and becoming more aware of a world outside of your own is one of the ways that people develop this valuable quality. When you visit a new land, you're able to experience the world from a brand new perspective that lends to a more holistic understanding of various academic concepts.

Prepping for Studying Abroad

If the idea of studying abroad still seems intimidating, it may help to get a good understanding of what you'll need before you take off. Before anything else, you'll want to make sure you'll be completely covered once you arrive by purchasing an international health insurance plan. This type of health insurance is ideal for travelers who intend on visiting a foreign country for a longer period than the average tourist. In the event that an emergency illness or injury occurs or if you just need basic medical care while overseas, this insurance plan would protect you from returning home from your trip with a hefty bill.

On top of insurance, you'll want to make sure to open up a bank account as soon as you arrive. Although this may seem excessive for just a semester in a new place, having a bank account in the area where you'll be staying can prevent you from building up six-months worth of foreign transaction fees and bank fees generated by withdrawing money from foreign ATMs. Although two dollars here and there may not seem like much, after an entire semester they can add up to a pretty substantial chunk of change.

Studying abroad is a big decision for college students to make-- especially those who haven't traveled much further than their hometowns. However, the pros often outweigh the cons when you look further into this unique educational opportunity. In fact, the tremendous academic value of traveling abroad is largely why these programs are now recently being instated in community colleges rather than just traditional institutions. With a stronger understanding of both the benefits and the precautions, there's no reason why you can't experience college life outside of the U.S. by studying abroad.

CK88TVVSBYNQ <--- This is a secret code. You can ask me about it in the comments below!