So I've decided to study abroad at the University of Melbourne in Australia next semester. And I feel guilty.
When I talk to my friends, I hear comments such as: "That's great! One of my friends did study abroad in Australia and he had a great experience. I'm sure you'll love it."
I feel guilty because when I talk to faculty members, for the most part, I hear something along the lines of, "Australia? What are you going to do over there? Surf, drink beer, and pet koala bears? Why don't you go to England instead?"
Well, I'm sure I'll pet a few koala bears while I'm over there. But I shouldn't have to feel guilty about that. In fact, no one should have to feel like a slacker simply because he or she has decided to study abroad someplace that the general public considers to be a sweet spot for a vacation. Instead, I hold this truth to be self-evident : all study abroad programs are created equal. Furthermore, Penn should not push England as the academic standard by which to judge all other study abroad choices.
Truly, the only standard for judging the quality of study abroad programs is Penn itself. And, we must admit, it is an unfair standard considering that just about any place in the world where we may go will be a step down from the academic excellence of dear old Penn. This is why our study abroad tuition matches that of a regular semester at Penn?so that our faculty can make sure that the quality of the education will at least be approximate to that of Penn.
If, by going abroad, we agree to take a vacation from the academic rigor of Penn, what is it that we gain in return? It is the experience?the unique, unforgettable aspects of our time abroad?such as the people we meet, our interactions with them, our travels, new cultural understandings and memories that will last forever. Obviously, if you go to study abroad in London, your experience will be much different than it will be for a student who goes to Melbourne.
But will it be better?
Of course not. If the overall experience is the factor that differentiates one study abroad program from another, then there is no way to assert that one study abroad program presents a better overall package than another.
For example, one of my best friends spent a semester abroad in Amsterdam at the Universiteit van Amsterdam. But remember, pot is legal in Amsterdam. And the whole city is littered with tourists seeking cheap thrills and greasy chocolate-covered waffles. Tsk, tsk . . . that's not very studious.
Regardless, she had an outstanding academic, social, and overall experience in Amsterdam. The next semester she went to Australia and, despite all the koala bears and beer and surfing, she also managed to love her academic experience at Monash University. Plus, the social and cultural aspects that she also enjoyed rounded off her entire experience. And people want to tell her that she should have gone to England instead!
What is it, precisely, that makes England such a studious place in the eyes of our university? I've never been able to comprehend why people think that they sound smarter when they put on fake British accents. To me, they just sound more annoying. When I was in London, I met plenty of British people who spoke with British accents but didn't sound very smart at all.
No, it's not the accent. As one of my Penn professors told me, it's the cultural opportunities open to one in England and Europe that are far greater than those in Australia or pretty much anywhere else in the world. There's more history and tradition in every nook and cranny of England. Australia, like the United States, has only been around for about a mere 200 or so years.
However, it is not a question of quantity but one of quality. Yes, England may have more history and more theaters per capita than Australia (if that's the true measure of culture), but it may not be the sort of culture that one wants to experience. You can't see toilet water spin counter-clockwise or touch Ayers Rock in England. Likewise, in Britain you will be unable to experience the Great Barrier Reef or photograph the Sydney Opera House.
Similarly, England has countless sites and experiences that are unavailable in Australia. This means that, in the end, the two study abroad locations??just like any two locations one may choose?are incommensurable.
There's no arguing about tastes, mate. No matter where you decide to go for study abroad, don't feel like a slacker. Feel like an adventurer with an academic purpose at heart.
