Compare and contrast studying locally to studying abroad

          Beyond all doubts, education is always being considered as one of the most essential part of our lives' journey. It is believed that education will effectively affect one's wisdom, thinking and behavior since he was young. After receiving eleven-year compulsory education in our motherland, most of the graduates tend to continue their studies at a university or a college so as to have some steadier work in the near future. At present, people prefer to study abroad rather than study locally because the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. It should be noted that nothing is absolute and in nature, there are multitudinous similarities and differences between studying locally and studying abroad. The major purpose of both studying manners is to learn professional knowledge and skills; however, they are different in their cost and environment. Now, let me elaborate on my points.

          First and foremost, learning professional knowledge and skills is one of the main motives of both studying manners. This is because a diversity of job needs our professional skills to be competent, even improve working efficiency to gain more profits for company. In the meantime, with the rapid development of science and technology, newly-emerging industry such as Computing Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and so forth nowadays highly requires employee's technical expertise. It can be seen that we will be hard to find a job in the event of not possessing any professional skill in such booming era. On condition that we continue our studies at a university or a college, we do not have to worry about it. For instance, the sophomore and junior who study at university may have the precious chances to serve their internship for getting the practical experiences. In short, whether we study  locally or study abroad, we will have the opportunity to learn some professional knowledge and skills.

          Notwithstanding the similarities both share, many differences exist. In my way of thinking, the expenditure is an open-and-shut distinction between studying locally and studying abroad. As a matter of fact, there are numerous graduates who eventually give up studying abroad on account of financial problem their family faces every year. That is such a pitiful but intractable thing! It is commonly known that the currency rate of Ringgit Malaysia has been getting lower since 2003 until it reaches a worrying rate today. Thus, when we pay the fees overseas like school fees, accommodation fees, living expenses and the list goes on , the amounts will be multiplied till we cannot afford it. Besides that, some countries like Japan comprise four seasons, thereby we need to pay the additional expenses for clothing too. On the other hand, if we study locally, we may not face the financial problem because the prices of goods and school fees are usually affordable. Even if facing some financial problem, we can also receive assistance from government on a platter. Needless to say, undoubtedly, cost is one of their crucial dissimilarities mentioned above.

          Last but not least, another difference between studying locally and studying abroad, without any doubt, is their environment. So far as we know, many a study revealed that environment will unconsciously affect one's learning efficiency and spirit. On the event that we choose to study locally, although the bonds between family members or close friends and us do not go weak, we will be bounded in our own comfort zone and our horizons cannot be broadened well. On the contrary, there is no any acquaintance when we study abroad, hence, we are forced to be independent and mentally tough. Furthermore, now that the culture of other countries is different from ours, we can acquire their positive qualities and then our thinking and mindset can be upgraded. It is worthy to be mentioned that more often than not, one who has gone abroad is actually going to be more patriotic than before because of awareness about the beauty of his country. As a result, they are also different in their environment.

          In a nutshell, there are a mountain of similarities and differences between studying locally and studying abroad. To sum up, no matter where we study, the reason why we decide to study at a university or a college is mainly learning professional knowledge and skills; nevertheless, they are still different in their cost and environment. Briefly, we should look before we leap while determining to study locally or study abroad instead of blindly following others' choice because this decision may affect our future to a degree. In word, learning should never cease since one's wisdom comes from education and learning.