Asia
Defining Asian culture in general terms is impossible. The continent, after all, contains some of the largest countries in the world, and the diversity of cultures represented by these nations is nothing short of astounding. From Russia to China to India to Pakistan to Israel, the abundance of races, religions, and worldviews in Asia is as great as it is anywhere in the world. Because of this, attending college in Asia is just about as rewarding as it gets.
These days, it is virtually impossible to turn on the news or open the newspaper without noticing a story about the ascendancy of China’s economy, or the outsourcing of American jobs to Indian firms, or the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians. Indeed, some of the most fascinating and important developments in the world community are happening in Asian countries. As a result, the education gained by students who live and study there for their entire college experience will be predicated just as much on what happened in the classroom as what does outside of it.
The possibilities are endless. Does the ancient culture of Bangladesh interest you? Do you plan on studying political science and the ways in which American policy affects countries like Afghanistan? What about archaeology, art history, or philosophy? All of these subject areas—and many more—will come alive in ways they otherwise likely wouldn’t have if you choose to pursue your undergraduate education in Asia.
And though the number of choices is literally dizzying, most Americans tend to gravitate toward certain specific countries. For though these destinations may seem to share precious few similarities, they often are home to ancient cultures, relatively modern societies, and friendly governments. Which is not to say that they are the only options, but Afghanistan, for example, has a few other things to worry about these days—in fact, has had a few other things to worry about for the past few decades—than building top-notch institutions of higher learning. Therefore, the majority of students tend to go to school in places like Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Moscow, Beijing, New Delhi, and Bangalore, to name a few. Again, though vastly different, these cities share a relatively modern outlook on life and stable enough political situations to attract the best teachers and students.
Culturally, your experience will, to a great degree, depend in where you choose to study. The ways of doing things in Calcutta are quite different than they are in Moscow. Of course, many people who choose to attend college abroad are either already experienced in and familiar with the culture of the country to which they are headed, or are open-minded and adventurous enough to be able to adapt without too much more difficulty than might be expected. Of course, that is also one of the best parts about attending college in a foreign country: You will be forced to grow in ways you never may have thought possible.
The most important thing, though, is to be one-hundred-percent trusting in your decision to attend college abroad. For if you go with confidence, then there is no reason why your experience will not be rewarding, as well as transformative in totally unexpected and exciting ways.
