Nowadays, many students want to study abroad after completing Secondary Three. Some people think that is a good idea, while other people don’t. In this essay, I will look at some of the arguments for and against studying abroad.
First of all, one argument in favour of studying abroad is that it can provide a chance for students to improve English and learn other foreign languages. If they study abroad, they will have to live in a new environment which is totally different from Hong Kong. Unlike in Hong Kong, they will be exposed to a rich English environment if they study in foreign countries. They will have more chances to communicate with native speakers. Moreover, in their daily lives, they will be forced to use other languages because transport, dining, shopping and so on are all in foreign languages. At the same time, speaking in other languages is the only way for them to communicate and expand their social network. Gradually, they can speak more fluently and their communication and social skills will be improved.
Another advantage is that it can broaden students’ horizons through experiencing the foreign cultures. If they go studying abroad, they can have first-hand experience of experiencing local cultures which they cannot learn from textbooks. In different countries, there are a wide range of traditions, historical background, eating habits and also lifestyle. They can experience them everywhere in the country. For example, the architecture and the old buildings can show the traditions and history of a country. Moreover, the celebrations of some festivals in foreign countries may be different from ours. From this, they can appreciate other religions and customs. Nevertheless, the lifestyle of other countries can be experienced from different cuisine, eating habits and even costumes. Therefore, studying abroad helps broaden horizons indeed.
From the above, we can see that there are clearly advantages in studying abroad. However, there are also some disadvantages.
One of the disadvantages is that it is so expensive for students to study overseas. Studying abroad requires a lot of money for school fees and daily expenses. Also, the currencies of most overseas countries are much more expensive than Hong Kong dollars. Hence, the outlays for studying abroad may not be affordable to all families.
Another problem is that S3 students are too young to study abroad and they may suffer from homesickness. If they study abroad, they will have to leave their parents, relatives and friends. They may feel lonely. So, that may be a trouble for them to study overseas at such a young age.
In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages to students studying abroad after finishing S3. However, I believe that, on balance, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Therefore, I believe that it is suitable for the students to study abroad after completing S3.