Should students pursue further studies locally or abroad?

Socrates, a Greek philosopher from Athens, once said, “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” Hence, beyond all doubts, education is always being considered as one of the most essential parts of our lives' journey. It is commonly believed that education will imperceptibly affect one's wisdom, thinking and behavior since he or she was young. After receiving eleven-year compulsory education, most of the graduates tend to pursue further studies at a university or a college so as to have a decent job in the near future. At present, students prefer to study abroad rather than study locally because the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Taking everything into consideration, from my point of view, most students should pursue further studies abroad because it brings us multitudinous benefits. Through studying abroad, we may experience different styles of education and culture as well as developing our personality; surprisingly, we may pay a lower fee if studying abroad compared to studying locally at some time. Now, let me elaborate on my points.

            First and foremost, it is often said that experiencing different styles of education and culture is one of the main advantages of studying abroad. It goes without saying that everything in a foreign country is different from our motherland, such as culture, weather and the list goes on. By this, we can learn about the essence of foreign culture and acquire their positive qualities and then our thinking and mindset can be upgraded. The great cultures we have to deeply experience mentioned above include etiquette in Japan, filial piety in China, liberalism in the United States, etc. On the other hand, some foreign countries have a greater and more effective education system, thereby we can acquire knowledge and learn about professional skills in a more effective way. For instance, Finland is the only country where students have both a high reading proficiency as well as high life satisfaction on account of its education system which has a strong emphasis on learning through play. In short, students who study abroad will have the chance to witness different cultures and receive better education.

            Apart from that, one of the purpose of studying abroad is also considered as the essential and powerful catalyst to one’s personal development. So far as we know, many studies have revealed that the environment will unconsciously affect one's learning efficiency and spirit. In the event that we choose to study locally, although the family bonds will not go weak, we will be bound in our own comfort zone and our horizons cannot be broadened. On the contrary, we have no acquaintances around us when we study abroad; thus, we are forced to be independent and mentally tough. As a result of being independent, one may become a successful and useful person in the near future because independence is the foundation for success. Moreover, his time management skills will be heavily improved whereas the characteristics of courageousness can also be brought up simultaneously. It is worthy to mention that if studying abroad, we can improve our interpersonal relationship on a platter by getting along with foreign friends. Therefore, studying abroad, without any doubt, contributes to students’ personal development.

Last but not least, there is an obscure fact that the fees students need to pay are lower if studying abroad compared to studying locally. As a matter of fact, there are numerous graduates who eventually give up studying abroad because of financial problems every year. This is quite a pitiful but intractable thing! However, everything is not absolute and in fact, studying abroad can be a cheaper way to pursue further studies. For example, according to the latest statistics, offering quality education and possessing high-standard facilities, the tuition fee of universities in China and Taiwan is quite low and reasonable though. Meanwhile, even though the exchange rate of the US dollar is extremely high nowadays, living expenses in the United States are much lower than in our country. It can be easily seen that the accommodation fees and living expenses in some foreign countries are affordable and reasonable; thus, financial problems may not be the worries for us to study abroad. On the whole, sometimes, studying abroad can be a cheaper way to enroll at a university or a college for some reason or other.

            In a nutshell, there are numerous benefits brought by studying abroad. To sum up, through the manner of studying abroad, we can witness different cultures and receive better education as well as developing our personality. Furthermore, although it seems improbable, we may pay a lower fee if studying abroad compared to studying locally at some point. Briefly, we should look before we leap while determining whether to study locally or study abroad instead of blindly following others' choice because this decision may affect our future to a degree. In a word, learning should never cease since one's wisdom comes from education and learning. Before the end of this essay, I would like to send you a poem on studying:

Studying is not a burden, It’s a wonderful gift,

Power to enlighten ourselves and others to shift,

For a difference we can make in so many lives,

The lives we can save from many sharp knives.