FAMILY

Challenge

Some students will find their families reluctant to endorse, much less encourage them in their dreams of studying abroad. While some parents will be extremely receptive, all parents tend to fear for the safety of their children as they send them off into the unknown, particularly to a foreign country.

Overcoming

If your parents have concerns about you going abroad, the most logical person to refer them to is your study abroad adviser. Your adviser has doubtless talked to other concerned parents and knows what information will be helpful to them in making an informed decision about the benefits and realities of studying abroad. Your adviser can help dispel any misconceptions that your parents may have and share with them the tremendous potential benefits that studying abroad offers. Ms. Lundy comments that she spends a great deal of her time talking to the families of her students, who frequently are the biggest advocates of their students studying abroad once they really understand what's involved.

If your family cannot easily communicate with a study abroad adviser, a wealth of information is also available online and in print. William Hoffa's Study Abroad: A Parent's Guide can be an excellent resource to help your family understand your desire to study abroad and what is involved. You can see an example of another, more targeted Parent's Guide on Dickinson College's website. Look at the website of the school or program you plan to study abroad with for resources they might offer. If you do a Google search, you should have no trouble locating a wealth of additional articles and websites that can provide your parents with great information about studying abroad.

You should also spend time talking with your parents - telling them why you want to go abroad, what you hope to gain from the experience, and the details of the program you will be going with. (You need to know these things for yourself first!) Taking the time to consider your motivations for studying abroad will help you clarify the goals of your experience and make it easier to communicate with family, friends, or faculty about the benefits of your plan.

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