The bittersweet experience of leaving home

OPINION EDITOR – MARIANA CHAMORRO

ORIGINALLY PRINTED ON APRIL 6, 2023

 Studying abroad is a challenging experience many young people go through. It is a courageous decision that students and young professionals make to receive better education, jobs and life experiences. For people who have never left their home country, it can also be intimidating and scary to leave home and family and experience being independent and out in the real world. 

Many students at St. Mary’s University are international and are received with open arms. The biggest shock when studying abroad is experiencing a different culture. Cristiano, a student from 

Peru who came here to
do his master’s degree
in computer science, shared about this new experience. The culture here in the U.S. was nothing like he was used to. He said: “I did not know how people interacted with each other.” The day after his arrival was university orientation, where he saw many students from around the world introduce each other and interact. Cristiano also shared that he found himself doing new things he had not done before, like cooking and washing dishes. Cristiano shared: “I missed my mom’s homemade cooking terribly.” However, the advantages that this encounter gave him were outstanding. He considers the education system here advanced and appreciates the shift from theoretical studies to practical ones, and as a computer science student, he found it refreshing to interact with students on his level. Maria del Mar Aponte, the Director of the Center for International Programs, shared her insight on the experience of studying abroad: “Moving to a new country can expose young people to new cultures, traditions, and lifestyles. This experience can broaden their perspective and understanding of the world, and help them appreciate diversity.” Cultural exposure can be a wonderful thing to experience as a young adult and can open one’s eyes to the world. Aponte also shared that the experience of studying abroad and living alone can further one’s personal growth: “Living in a foreign country requires young people to adapt to new situations and challenges, which can promote personal growth and resilience. They may also develop independence, self- reliance, and problem-solving skills.” 

Moving abroad can also cause adverse effects on an individual, like an identity crisis and changes in priorities. Some people may realize the goals they had once before, may not be what they want now or what they should try to achieve now that they are at a new phase of their education or their career. However, the experience of moving away from home is like no other and can change someone for good.