By Lisa Harvey
Our very own Lisa Harvey wrote a blog post that was recently featured on GoOverseas.com‘s blog. We couldn’t resist proudly posting up a little taste of it here. The subject: 10 Mistakes Made While Studying Abroad. The layout: 10 quotes from famous people ranging from Britney Spears to John Steinbeck. The idea: To take this advice with you when abroad so that you don’t make any silly rookie mistakes.
1. Knows Nothing About the Host Country
“The cool thing about being famous is traveling. I have always wanted to travel across seas, like to Canada and stuff.” – Britney Spears
For goodness sake, if you are committed to studying abroad, study before you come abroad. Americans have a reputation for being ignorant of the world. Break that stereotype early by learning about where you will be living, the geography, and the people. Know the surrounding countries, know their ways of life, and know what language they speak.
2. Uses Only English
“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” – Kames Michener
If you do not think you can appreciate different language or culture, you are not learning.You don’t have to be perfectly fluent, but try to say hello in their language and listen to those that have different beliefs. Practice every chance you get – even if they speak back to you in English. Language ties people together. Learn as many as you can.
For the full list of quotes and handy quotes, don’t wait another second and click here!
