Raising the Bar on the Bare Minimum

Studying abroad makes you More Confident, the brochures promise. More Worldly. More Flexible. More Adventurous. More Marketable. More Better, if I may be so bold. I'm even happy to add a few - how about More Organized? The consensus is that it pretty much leaves you better prepared for the world. There are a lot of reasons. You learn more about the world both for obvious reasons (you're living in another part of it), and for less direct reasons (you realize it's actually useful to know more about the world.) You're more marketable because companies feel more global when they hire you. But the main thing, I think, is that when you study abroad, you simply have to get better. Whatever little weaknesses you're used to sweeping under the rug and covering up with your strengths just aren't going to fly anymore. Being in another country just makes everything a little bit harder. In other words, it raises the bar on the bare minimum.

I had a friend who was afraid of giving presentations in class. He goes to Spain, and, guess what? Not only does he have to give the presentation, he has to give it in Spanish, in front of native speakers. Wasn't easy, but he did it. And he comes home and suddenly it seems a lot more manageable to present something he's learned in his native language, in his native language.

Another friend leaned on her parents more than she should have. Awkward phone call about a discrepency in her utility bill? Problems getting in the classes she wanted? She'd just call up mommy and daddy. Suddenly she found herself in Spain, hundreds of miles away from them - and even if they'd tried to help, they didn't speak a word of Spanish. She was on her own. Wasn't easy, but she did it. And she comes home and realizes, hey, I am capable.

And where have I grown? That's easy. Organization. I've always been a mess, but my good memory managed to get me through the first 20 years of my life. I'd tried but never been able to make or keep a date book or packing list. Abroad, through, there was enough stress in my life without worrying about remembering when that project was due or which weekend I was going surfing in France. I had to start writing things down. Wasn't easy, but I did it. And I surprised even myself when I had the presence of mind to email myself a list of every item I'd shipped ahead to Germany for the second semester.

Back home, you might have to 'deal' with your fears and weaknesses, 'compensate' for them. That'll take you a long way, but it won't take you all the way. Sometimes you have to push yourself just a little bit farther in order to conquer the problem once and for all, and study abroad is an excellent way to do that.