It's been a long time. About 2 weeks ago, I dropped off the face of everything. It was at this time that I was first faced with the opportunity to study in France. The reality, not the hope. Two weeks of rushing around trying to finish the paperwork and j'etude le francais, and everything is on track to go. As the time to apply for a visa approaches quickly, I feel like I am losing breathing room. I honestly don't know what to do.
For the past month and a half, even before I knew about the exchange program I am enrolled in, I have been writing about how wonderful the opportunity to study abroad is. The exposure to another lifestyle while in school for me would be a mindblowing experience. I would live similar to people half-way around the world; be part of lives I never knew existed, eating who knows what and acquiring habits i can't imagine. Or not. I don't know, but it would be fascinating to see the differences, and similarities! I have never been far from Atlanta, only once have left the southeast region of the US. I didn't know I was allowed out into the world without a college degree!
Great! So what's wrong then? Studying abroad would cost not just me, but also my family twice as much as we pay for one semester at college here. I found about the cheapest program possible, but there is always travel and living expenses. What does twice as much cost gain for me? 9 hours in an unnecessary minor in a country half-way around the world, French, a whole lot of great pictures, and a firsthand understanding of culture. This last is a stress point for me, because my major is in culture, so I feel that being able to apply my own experiences to what I have and will learn will strengthen my own understanding. But its an expensive education for a teacher =/
I see a world headed for globalization and I want to be a part of that, but I don't want to be a financial burden. So is the cost worth the outcomes? I don't know.
But as a student who has a father without a study annual income-being a self-employed business owner- and my mother only working part time, I often feel gi=uilty on spending any moeny on me that is not a nessecity. However, I had to face reality life in general costs money. So i got a job and now I pay for my own things that I don't want to bother my family with.
but Iunderstand what you mean when you're debating whether the expense of studying aroad is worth the experience, but you have to consider that if you do go, are you positive that you are going to get cents worth out of the experience that you're putting into it? As long as your payback in knowlege is equivalent to the expense then you've gained soemthing very valuable.
Je t'aime. lol I took French before because it sounded so cool and romantic. But it was harder than I thought.
Truly if you want to go, I'd say go for it. You can always work something out with your school/college fr study aboard program. But money is a huge factor to you, then wait for another year or two. It still won't be too late then. And I'm sure whatever you choose, it will be worth it.
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