Study Abroad Poem: Some contrasting attitudes towards overseas education

I want to study abroad
the shopping is great

I want to venture overseas
later may be too late

I want to head to foreign lands
for adventure, romance, and fun

Take me across the ocean
to tropical beaches
warm waters, and sun

Help me get overseas:
a holiday with academic credit
sounds cool

I yearn to be “international” -
not jes’ a monolingual fool

So many different students
So many different goals

Reflecting on this
ask yourself
when you study abroad
what outcomes will you aspire for?
what will be your roles?

Satoru:	For some, study abroad is like more than a vacation . . . .
Tim:	And for others, it is the most significant experience of their entire school lives.
Melissa:	So how can study abroad be made into an educationally valid experience?
Liao:	(shaking his head while laughing) It is not like an industrial product! There is no exact universal formula. Although empirical research can offer guidelines, ultimately we need intuition and guesswork.