Exclusive: The Significance of Study Abroad
Molly Rapoport


Author: Molly Rapoport

Date Published: 2006-07-23



Even with so much conflict in the world today, American college students are still eager to participate in study abroad programs that give them a firsthand glimpse into another culture. Now FSM Contributing Editor Molly Rapoport considers the implications of these programs for the politics and security of tomorrow.
 
The Significance of Study Abroad
Molly Rapoport
July 24, 2006
 
Even in wartime, America’s youth spend many more hours watching VH1 and MTV than MSNBC or CNN. But unless they has been sleeping for the past few weeks, and I do not think even a teenager can sleep that long, students must have noticed that the Middle East is once again in complete crisis. It may not be immediately obvious how a war between Lebanon and Israel affects college age students here in America, but a closer look shows that the security of many American students is very much dependent on security in the Middle East.
 
If you have ever been on a tour at an American university, you know that one of the most frequently asked questions by visiting families is, “Do you have a good study abroad program?” University tour guides will always answer this question enthusiastically, spitting out statistics and listing the various programs throughout the world that the school endorses. Indeed, world travel, whether in the form of study abroad or summer backpacking, has become extremely popular among today’s youth. With grant and scholarship money available at many universities for such travel, it seems that a college education has begun to include a firsthand knowledge of international politics, customs, and culture. And for many students focusing their studies on religion, history, and international affairs, nothing could be more fascinating than a semester abroad in the Middle East.
 
The question for me, however, was whether this love of travel is a self-indulgent need for adventure and exploration, or instead representative of a search for solidarity and understanding in a troubled world. The answer came a few days ago, quite unexpectedly, with the current conflict in the Middle East. And I must admit that my respect and admiration for my peers has subsequently grown substantially.
 
For devout students of various religions, Israel in particular is a prime destination spot for study abroad programs. I have one friend who has spent the last year studying Hebrew in Haifa and when his program ended, he surprisingly chose to stay in Haifa for the summer as a volunteer English teacher rather than coming home to relax before he goes back to his university in the fall. But shockingly, when the bombs starting raining down on Haifa this month, he did not jump the next plane home. He showed up for work where his supervisor exclaimed “What are you doing here? Get out of Haifa!” And he was only yards away when two rocket showers hit the city. After two visits to a Haifa bomb shelter, he was still reluctant to leave Israel. Now in Tel Aviv, and much to his parents’ dismay, he refuses to leave Israel, which he has grown to love so much.
 
Meanwhile, another one of my friends just completed an intensive Arabic course in Cairo and planned to visit Israel next week before coming home. She is currently engaged in a heated debate with her parents as she begs them to let her go to Israel as planned. Such steadfast solidarity for Israel, even in this troubled and dangerous time, gives me great hope for peace and safety in the region. While my friends’ love for Israel may seem reckless in some respects, they provide evidence that the future of Israel is indeed protected. A simple Google search of “students + Israel” will turn up countless Israel support groups at universities across the nation: from the University of California at Santa Barbara, to MIT, to the University of Miami. It is clear that students are concerned with the future security of the Middle East and the world and traveling to these regions only enhances awareness.
 
These past few weeks have shown me that study abroad is not just a superficial indulgence as I once suspected. Sending America’s bright and inquisitive youth around the globe is a crucial step necessary for cultivating future leaders who will be able to solve the world’s problems. Traveling college students, it seems, are not just tourists; they are passionate and engaged young statesmen.
 
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Molly Rapoport is a rising junior at Princeton University majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy.
 
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