the winning entry? (勝)

To be eligible for a tasty £500 BUTEX scholarship, I had to submit an essay titled "Why every student should study abroad". I went for the light-hearted, joke-occasionally-slipped-in touch, and feel I pulled it off quite well. Feedback appreciated:

"In today's world, it is easier than ever to travel at a low cost; budget airlines, hostels, affordable travel packages and numerous other means allow travellers to get to almost any city on the globe for a modest sum, yet usually people only experience the 'tourist' facade of their chosen destination (through choice or otherwise).

While it's all well and good to see the main tourist attractions, shop in duty free, and stay in English speaking accommodation, I feel the best way to experience foreign culture is to immerse yourself fully in it; befriend the residents, learn their ways and (if applicable) their language, see the things they're proudest of, and give yourself a completely different perspective of the place to that of the travel guides. Obviously this method requires more effort on your part, more time must be set aside to truly benefit from immersing yourself, and as a result of this more money must also be set aside. For this reason it strikes me that university is the best time to go; you'll have all the time you need during your year (or even semester) abroad to immerse yourself, and even to experience the 'tourist' facade if you so desire, as well as an abundance of resources for funding.

From an academic viewpoint, you'll have the chance to be taught by Professors with a completely different outlook from those at your home university; this will give you an advantage over your classmates upon return as you'll have been shown aspects of your subjects that would have been missing otherwise. Learning how foreign education systems work is also beneficial; it will give you a new way of looking at the one at home, highlighting it's good (and indeed bad) points, as well as giving you ideas of how to improve your education at home by combining aspects of the two.

On top of the reasons mentioned above, there are also plenty of opportunities for personal development to be found studying abroad; the people you'll meet will have come from all different walks of life, and will be able to give you an insight into their cultures and customs. And of course there's always the chance of forming long-lasting friendships (or maybe even more!). Living independently in another country will provide further opportunities to develop yourself, and things such as organising your time and budgeting your money will take on a whole new meaning during your time abroad!

In short, studying abroad will not only enhance your CV and academic profile, but you'll have the opportunity to make great new friends, learn about and develop yourself into a more capable and more mature young adult, and maybe even get a tan! It is for these reasons that I think every student should study abroad."