By Elsha DeJong

Elsha DeJong is an intern working with the public policy department at NAFSA: Association of International Educators. She is studying international relations at American University. She studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa in the spring of 2011.

(Posted: December 15, 2011)

As we gear up for this holiday season, whether it involves lighting the candles of the menorah, hanging ornaments on the tree, or just partaking in a delectable holiday feast, I find myself reminiscing that this time last year, I had just been accepted into my study abroad program in Cape Town, South Africa. After counting down the seconds until I would receive my acceptance letter, I was overcome with joy, excitement, and slight panic. My mind went from “I cannot believe I’m going to be living in a foreign country!” to “Wait… I’m going to be living in a foreign country? What if I’m not prepared?” It was a whirlwind of emotions, to say the least. And, I hadn’t even booked my flight yet!

There was no one that I wanted to share my joy and doubts with more than my family. Thanksgiving provided the perfect opportunity to do just that. Everyone is together, and in the blissful state of a food coma. This environment coupled with the fact that I have a very open-minded family made telling them my exciting news a breeze. In fact, when I announced to the DeJong clan that I would be studying in Cape Town for six months, the most contention I faced was that they wished I had told them sooner, so that they could have changed their schedules and visited!

The positive reception my plans received is not what all students experience when they spring the news of study abroad on their families. Parents – gotta love them – can be overbearing and quite simply, terrified about the choices we make. They often try to take control and believe that they know best. As a student who savors my college independence, this can be, well, obnoxious. But one has to remember, parents and family are well-intentioned, and they want nothing more than for you to be happy and safe. So, how do you sell a study abroad trip – be it to a better known country in Europe, or to a developing nation in the Middle East, to your family?

Here a few topics that I think are helpful to cover when discussing study abroad with your parents and family:

First and foremost: this will be a life-altering experience – one that will change you forever, for the better. Though college offers you an opportunity to gain a new sense of autonomy, nothing beats living and navigating in an unfamiliar country. You will become a stronger, wiser, and more independent person.

You will become more financially savvy. Typically, when studying abroad, you are not able to obtain a work visa. Therefore, you’ll have to work with however much you’ve saved up. Balancing food and other basics with travel excursions will help you become more responsible with your money.

You will be learning or improving upon a foreign language (depending on where you study abroad). Knowing a language is becoming an essential ability in the job world. And where best to learn a language than in a country where it is spoken?

Studying abroad makes your resume stand out. It shows that you are a go-getter and a hard-working individual. You’ve gained skills in cross-cultural communication, language (possibly), perseverance, and adaptability, all of which are marketable to future employers.

You will gain friendships for a lifetime, which will open up a cornucopia of opportunities – especially in your career path. And, at the very least, they can offer a place to stay should you (and most likely, you will) go back to your host country.

Finally, to reiterate: THIS WILL BE A LIFE-ALTERING EXPERIENCE – one that no one should pass up, and why I had to repeat it in my list. Your perspective will change. Your future plans may change. Change can be a scary thing, but in this case, it is the very best kind of change.

You can find more tips and resources on how to prepare for your study abroad experience in this student section of Connecting Our World. You can also ask questions to other students who have studied abroad on Students Connecting Our World on Facebook. And of course, don’t forget to talk to your study abroad advisor on your campus.

With that, I wish you all good luck and the happiest of bon voyages.