For many undergraduates, the opportunity to travel and study abroad while immersing themselves in a new culture is one of the main reasons they enrolled in the first place. For others, the prospect of stepping outside their comfort zone and heading for the unknown can be daunting. But what good has ever come from fear, other than Mortein and fake tan?

Here are a few good reasons to take the plunge.

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You’ll Discover A New Culture

While sausage sizzles and the Iced VoVo are great and all, there’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in the lifestyle and customs of a foreign culture. From the moment you step off the plane, there’s so much to see, hear, taste and experience. It’s like seeing the world for the first time, only this time you get to remember it and also you’re disembarking from an airplane not a womb, and also your mum isn’t pushing you, and okay, this has become an awkward analogy. Anyway. New culture. Get it into you.

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You Can Develop A New Style

Sure, fashion is part of a city’s culture, but this deserves it’s own separate point. Your clothing plays a pivotal role in how you choose to express yourself, and while travelling is one of the best ways to broaden your mind, it can also do great things for your taste in footwear. While yes, it’s great that you can get away with wearing thongs year-round at home, have you ever contemplated the Moccasin in Spring, or better yet, Klompen in May?

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There Are New Lifelong Friends To Be Made

When you think about your closest friends, they’re usually the ones you’ve shared the best experiences with. Luckily, there’s a good chance the people you meet overseas will be some of the warmest, funniest and most accommodating people you will ever encounter. When travelling or met with new visitors, people open up their homes, feed you, and sometimes expect nothing in return… until five years down the track when there’s a knock at your door and a huge rucksack on their back.

In all seriousness though, the locals, fellow travellers, and fellow classmates you spend your semester abroad with will play a huge role in some of the best memories of your life.

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It’s A Great Time To Learn A New Language

There is no better way to learn a foreign language than to surround yourself with people who speak it. Also, locals really appreciate visitors who put in the effort of trying to speak their native tongue, no matter how poorly you do. The point is you tried, and that could mean the difference between one or two Gougères.

Of course, freebies are in no way a commendable or valid reason to learn another language, but merely a perk worth mentioning. Other than gaining the life-changing ability to communicate in a different way, studying in a place where English is spoken as a second language could also lead to paid work as an English teacher, which could also lead to the purchasing of more Gougères.

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It Could Enhance Your Career Opportunities

While this may sound a bit naff in comparison to the self-improvement and cultural nourishment I’ve listed so far, it’s an important point that could lead you to the job of your dreams. These days, many potential employers are looking for job applicants that stand out from the rest. Your diverse cultural knowledge, language skills and global education will be extremely attractive to future employers, or, if you decide to stay in your host country, your local education coupled with your global knowledge will practically make you a shoo-in.

The world is there for the taking, as are the Klompen in May.

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With a host of unique relationships with top universities across the world, The Australian National University’s exchange programs connect you with talented people from around the world. Find out more here.