Are Exchange Programs Useful?

The two World Wars left the world lying in ruins. Right after the consensus was reached, the parties started to seek for ways to restore cooperation and good relations. The first step was the creation of international organizations like UNO, EU, NATO and so on. These organizations were created in order to develop a common system of international laws, partnership, economical grounds and other conveniences countries can provide each other with. Another step was made in the field of education and labor. Such countries as Japan, the US, the UK and other post-industrial participants of war started hosting representatives from the countries of the third world. At first these were workers and professionals that shared ideas, skills, experience and strategies. But then students of schools, colleges and universities flooded major cities and this process continues until today. People form other countries travel to learn something about the lifestyle, the folkways of the country they visit. Some of the programs still exist but the majority of the project the US has established were closed or stopped due to the shortening of the budget. Did it happen because the US increased the budget for the military affairs or the programs were proclaimed to be useless? Let us try to find the answer.

International exchange programs make their beginning since the middle of the nineteenth century. The aim was to restore peace and understanding between the people of former countries-rivals. American students were lucky enough to witness the historical event, the fall of the Great Wall in Berlin and spread the spirit of freedom and independence between the people of Germany and other European countries. The key stone is hidden in the fact that young generation is the future of the country and if young men and women establish strong bonds and connections due to exchange programs, partnership will be granted in the future. It took and still takes a lot of effort to get the scholarship to study abroad so you can make a conclusion that these students were the best of the best. Hosting students from different parts of the world Americans have an opportunity to experience the mystery and uniqueness of each culture. Students coming to study were wise enough to treat people that gave shelter with respect and gratitude and hosts were kind enough to give shelter and be hospitable and understanding. This exchange gets us closer to the answer on some of the questions we tended to think about as posers.

Bright future awaits a student that studied in a good school abroad. Not only is he/she a carrier of a perfect knowledge of the language, but also a mature person. Exchange students pass a good school of life being young and alone in a foreign country. This is where they get independence, wisdom, respectability and experience. Any organization viewing a resume of an exchange student will highly encourage his/her employment. Some cosmopolites dream about the universal culture that will unite peoples around the globe. But there is one "but": the uniqueness of millions of cultures and traditions and therefore the history will be lost. It is great to know may languages and cultures, but none of them may appear better than the one your ancestors created for you to develop it further. Respect and deep abiding love for your own culture is what matters.