Dear Readers,
Thank you for staying with us as the second BlogAbroad.com Express roars to a stop in your inbox. Our first issue introduced you to the ever-expanding world of blogging. This issue will revolve around the study abroad field and will feature an article written by Michael Bittinger, the study abroad advisor at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas. We hope to bring you many more articles and information from advisors so that you, our passengers, can have the best ride possible.
The big news is that Jackie has arrived in Chile and has already developed a fan base of interested readers. Her adventure is just beginning, but Phil and Emma are deep into their journeys. All you have to do to immerse yourself in their amazing experiences is click on the links in this newsletter.
But for now, please keep all hands and feet away from the computer monitor at all times and enjoy the latest issue of the BlogAbroad.com Express.
Sincerely,
The BlogAbroad.com Team (John, Drew, Matt & Kim)
Top Study Abroad Destinations of 2004:
Every year StudyAbroad.com compiles data from its website. One of the most interesting statistics is the number of hits each country receives. The number of hits translates into the number of students seeking information on study abroad programs in a particular country. Italy, the country Phil is currently studying in, was the top country with 76,300 hits. This means Italy had the most students searching for information on its programs. England had the second highest student interest with 68,268 hits and France was third with 65,728. Japan and Spain rounded out the top five highest searched countries with 62,617 and 59,562 hits respectively.
"These numbers are fairly consistent with last year," says John Duncan, the manager of StudyAbroad.com. "According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), England was the leading destination of U.S. study abroad students and Italy was second, a direct reversal of this year." In addition, Spain was third, France fourth, and Australia fifth on that list. This year, Australia had 32,264 hits on StudyAbroad.com, ranking it the 10th most popular.
What is really interesting is the number of surprising countries that made the top twenty or top fifty list of most searched countries. Cuba, for instance, which has restrictions against U.S. citizens studying there, was 15th on the list. Malaysia was 17th, Ghana 19th, and Russia 20th. Egypt cracked the top ten, finishing 8th. Taiwan, Thailand, Kuwait, Singapore, Venezuela, and Morocco all ranked between 21 and 35, ahead of countries like Hong Kong, Poland, South Africa, and Jamaica.
While Phil is studying in the most popular country of 2004, Jackie is in Chile, which ranked 24th, and Emma is in Senegal, which ranked 57th. Who knows, maybe after BlogAbroad.com's first season wraps, the popularity of those countries will increase. As Duncan says, "What draws our users' interest and attention is usually a combination of current events and media exposure. If a country gets attention in the news, it typically gets attention on our site."
The full list can be found here.
A link to other interesting StudyAbroad.com facts can be found here.
The Importance of Study Abroad:
Mark Twain once said, "Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one's little corner of the earth all one's life." Without change there cannot be growth or development. The change brought on by an international experience equals a differing and broader perspective of our world that the typical classroom cannot provide.
Study abroad provides students a myriad of challenges intertwined with personal and professional learning opportunities. Traveling gives students an unparalleled opportunity to test and hone many skills, and to acquire new ones. It stimulates and strengthens the spirit of open-mindedness, of interest and appreciation for the art, history, and culture of other peoples. By seeking an international education, students are taking control of their future, both academically and professionally.
Through multi-cultural experiences students are becoming better equipped to be part of our economically global workforce. Study abroad encourages all aspects of personal growth and enables students to learn more about themselves and what they are capable of. With such an addition to their resumes, returning students often find themselves at a distinct advantage.
Students are immersed into a 24-hour classroom, which initially, shakes their comfort zone, but ultimately, broadens their scope of knowledge and understanding. It builds characteristics such as tenacity, fortitude, perseverance, and initiative, which are essential to life after college. Students are challenged to make adjustments and adapt to diverse surroundings. They are encouraged to learn from taking a different view at their environment, at other students, and most importantly at themselves. Study abroad is extremely important to todays student, and is rapidly becoming an essential part of a college education.
Michael Bittinger
Study Abroad Advisor
Johnson Country Community College
Overland Park, Kansas
This is the second of many action packed newsletters detailing the adventures of Phil, Jackie, and Emma. We will continue to follow them as they explore the world. We will also continue providing useful information about studying abroad and blogging, as we feature different programs, provide answers to your questions, and more. Tell us what you would like to see in future issues of this newsletter.
