Feature photo by black_coffee_blue_jeans. Photo above by powerbooktrance.

I’ve heard it all before: “I don’t have enough time,” “It’s too much work to plan,” “It costs too much money,” “I don’t see what benefit it will have on my life.”

As an alumnus of multiple study abroad programs, I’m passionate about helping others take the big international leap. But it seems no matter what I say, no matter how much I assuage fears and offer sound advice, some students are still not convinced.

There’s always something (real or imagined) holding them back from what most former study abroad students will say was the best thing they’ve ever done.

Not one to be easily discouraged, I’m giving it a final shot: If you’re one of those students who still hasn’t gotten up enough gumption to give it a go, here are five reasons why you must, finally, once and for all, say “yes” to study abroad.

Photo by stevecadman.

1. Someone will plan the trip for you.

Planning is a huge component of international travel. You have to think about visas, plane tickets, lodging, on-the-ground logistics, and creating an itinerary. But when you study abroad through a university or study abroad agency, many of these details are taken care of for you.

When I went to France in 2001, my university’s international education office organized nearly everything, from my visa application to sightseeing weekends. We still had plenty of time for independent activities, but many of the big-picture details were already arranged. Take advantage of it now; traveling abroad will never be this easy again.

2. Funding is readily available.

Worried about the cost of study abroad? Don’t be. Not only are good, federally funded student loans available if you need them, but many abroad programs don’t cost any more than studying at your home university. For the same price you pay to spend a semester in the U.S., you could spend a semester overseas.

A few things might cost extra, such as the plane ticket and any spending money you wish to have on hand, but this money can easily be obtained through a summer job or loans. I’ve never regretted a single dime I spent to study abroad, and neither will you.

Photo by Hector Garcia.

3. It’s all about you.

No one returns from a long-term overseas trip as the same person they were before. It’s impossible to not have been so deeply affected by the things you’ve done, seen, accomplished and overcome that it transforms your entire being.

In fact, I think it’s safe to say you’ll learn more about yourself in one semester than you did during the entire length of your pre-study abroad existence. Many students who complete trips abroad find that they are more confident, more self-aware, more independent, and a heck of a lot more knowledgeable once it’s done.

They also have a lot of interesting things to talk about at dinner parties. The new you might take any number of forms, but I guarantee you’ll be pleased with the results.

4. You’ll avoid regrets.

As a student worker for my university’s alumni office, I made regular phone calls to former students. Mostly this was to ask for donations, but we would inevitably spend time chatting about their experiences as a student. The most frequent comment my colleagues and I heard was “I wish I had studied abroad.”

The number of alumni who held this regret about their time in school was staggering. They had let the opportunity pass them by (often for no good reason) and now can only listen as their friends from college rave about their semesters abroad. A visit to your school’s study abroad office is all it takes.

Photo by malias.

5. Studying abroad is fun.

There’s a dirty little secret: your university doesn’t want you to know about studying abroad. Don’t tell them I told you, but in general, your academic load will be much lighter overseas than it is here at home. Everything depends on where you go and what you study, but you will probably have less homework, fewer commitments, and possibly even less class time.

Your newfound freedom leaves plenty of time for exploring, traveling to nearby countries, mingling with attractive locals, and – if you’re an American who’s under 21 – taking advantage of the much lower legal drinking ages that exist in foreign countries.

There are a lot of things your school doesn’t show you in the official trip pamphlet. Trust me when I say you don’t want to miss them.

Community Connection:

Still need some financial planning help for studying abroad? Check out Evan Miller’s article “How to Get Your School to Pay for Your Travel.”

Share your study abroad experiences–or regrets– in the comments section below!

Feature photo by Canadian Veggie. Photo above by ndh.

I’m a planner. I like to know what I’m going to be doing today, tomorrow, and four months from now. I like to stay organized in my day planner. I don’t like to leave things to chance.

So when I found out that I would be spending my final semester of graduate school in Paris, I promptly set about dotting my I’s and crossing my T’s. When the plane landed at Charles de Gaulle airport, I thought I had everything under control.

Boy was I wrong. As it turns out, moving abroad is filled with variables you don’t even consider before leaving. If you’ve ever lived overseas, you know what I’m talking about. And if you’re thinking about living overseas, here’s are 10 things you should know before you leave.

Photo by alfredlee.

1. Buying upon arrival is easier than packing.

Unless you’re truly moving to the middle of nowhere, you’ll be able to find the items you need for daily life in your new city. When I moved to Paris, I brought one enormous suitcase, one duffel bag and two carry-ons filled with things I could have bought at any number of stores in my new neighborhood.

Buying when you arrive might require some extra funds, but it will save you the headache of trying to pack everything you own and then dragging it halfway across the world.

Photo by Jeff Keen.

2. You will always need more money than you think.

Some travelers will argue that it’s possible to live on a bare-bones budget overseas, and they’re probably right. But if you’re anything like me, you like to maintain a minimum level of comfort and financial flexibility no matter where you are.

Trying to establish a life in a foreign country is even more costly than just passing through. Expenses that you didn’t imagine will pop-up, and even if you have a job waiting for you, that first paycheck won’t appear overnight.

Saving a few extra bucks in advance will go a long way towards preserving your financial health during the expensive first few months.

Photo by minwoo.

3. You might still have to pay taxes back home.

Americans working overseas are sometimes surprised to learn that Uncle Sam doesn’t take it easy on expats. Some of us who work abroad will still owe money to the I.R.S.

Before you go, check with a tax expert and get the facts straight. Paying taxes in two countries is never easy, but it will hurt less if you know about it in advance.

4. Your mail can follow you.

Mail can be hard to keep track of when you move overseas. You forward it to some permanent address and hope none of the important letters slip through the cracks.

International movers should look into setting up a service with a company such as Earth Class Mail. For a few dollars a month the company will receive all your mail, scan it, and send you the important stuff you request.

Photo by Robert France.

5. Opening a local bank account can save you money.

I should have done this within the first week of my arrival. But with everything else there was to take care of, I put off opening a French bank account. This was a very costly mistake.

After six months of paying foreign transaction fees on my credit card and bank fees for withdrawing money from foreign ATMs I had racked up a little more than $200 in unnecessary expenses. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but that money could have gone towards a weekend trip or a Parisian shopping spree, both of which are a lot more fun than giving money to the bank.

Photo by Belopa.

6. Language can be learned on-site

You’ve taken the classes, done your grammar exercises, and even found a partner to help you practice speaking, but you still worry that you won’t be able to communicate with the locals?

Maybe you will and maybe you won’t. But after a few short weeks of moving to a foreign country, you’ll have learned more than you did in all those months or years of sitting in the classroom.

Excessive worrying about your lack of fluency is not something you have time for before leaving. It will come on its own, and if it doesn’t you can always take more formal classes when you arrive.

7. There will be good days and bad days.

Moving overseas often gets glamorized. Everyone, including yourself, thinks you will only have an amazing time filled with amazing experiences, amazing new friends, and an amazing lifestyle.

Yes, it will be amazing on more levels than you can imagine, but there will also be some very unglamorous days tucked between the good ones. You’ll be able to manage the tough times more effectively if you don’t expect everything to be fun and easy all the time.

Living abroad involves a lot of work, sacrifice, administrative headaches and the occasional bout of homesickness. Don’t lose hope; the next amazing day is just around the corner.

Photo by stevenvanwel.

8. You can still vote back home.

Americans looking to participate in the upcoming presidential election, or any future elections, should know that being abroad doesn’t disqualify them from their right to vote.

The same voting rights apply to all American citizens, whether they live within the 50 states or not. Some foreign cities even have active American political groups, such as Democrats Abroad or Republicans Abroad.

No matter where in the world you find yourself, these groups can help you navigate the voting process.

9. Staying in touch will be easy.

If you’re moving to a place that has good Internet connection and/or phone service, home will never be more than a few clicks away. Sign yourself and your contacts back home up for Skype and you can even talk to each other for free online.

Even old-school telephone to telephone communication has become easier and cheaper than ever before. Moving to some remote un-connected location? See it as an excuse to dust off your letter writing skills.

Photo by alexi1982.

10. Coming home is more difficult than leaving.

As much as I loved living overseas, I wasn’t entirely disappointed at the prospect of moving back home. Home represented family, friends, and all of the things I love and missed while away.

In reality, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Moving abroad is difficult because of the things you have to prepare, the good-byes you have to say, and the uncertainty of what you’ll find “over there”. The sheer excitement of starting a new adventure can make all the worries seem minor. What’s more, there’s a certain reassurance that comes with knowing that home will always be there waiting for you.

But when your overseas stint comes to an end, you’ll have to deal with the knowledge that what you’ve just lived can probably never be recreated. No one but yourself (and those who lived it with you) can possibly understand what it means to you.

Hang in there; you’ll eventually get through the difficulties of returning home. After all, you just lived, loved, triumphed and flourished in a foreign country. You’ve literally taken on the world. Reverse culture shock? Relationship changes? Restarting a career? Bring it on!