In recent years, the popularity of international student exchange has increased. While some teachers say that this programme would benefit all teenage school students, others suggest it would not help at all. In this essay, I will examine the possible advantages and disadvantages of the initiative and explain why I think that it would bring more benefits.
The current process of globalisation has already helped to eradicate the borders and limits in some spheres. Indeed, thanks to the Internet and high connectivity between countries, more people gained an opportunity to travel abroad and study there. If in the XIX century, for instance, only a limited number of school students were able to go to a foreign country and study with foreign peers, right now almost every school teenager has a chance to explore this option. Multicultural communication and diversity have already become the main trends in contemporary education, and experience and knowledge that a school student could acquire abroad would definitely favour him or her in the longer perspective.
The international student exchange, however, like any other initiative has its own drawbacks. Indeed, it would be nearly impossible to imagine the world in which this programme would only bring profits. Many parents, for example, believe that their children could become subjects to bullying in foreign schools due to their skin, religion, or gender. The outlined problem serves as one of the main indicators for the majority of parents of not letting their kids study abroad.
Personally, I do believe the advantages of the programme for children would outweigh the possible disadvantages. Rather than thinking about possible disadvantages a child could face, parents should understand that in current society a person with more experience and knowledge would make a difference, and an international school student exchange would make their children more competitive.
In conclusion, it is hard to predict whether people would totally agree with each other on the possible benefits and drawbacks of the initiative. However, the more people strive to understand other cultures and educate themselves, the fewer problems would be faced by humanity in the future.