Each year, thousands of Chinese middle school students go to study in foreign countries such as the US, the UK, Australia and Japan. According to a recent research made in Shanghai, nearly half of the students interviewed would like to study abroad.
“Chinese children are eager to go abroad (去外国)to get a wider view, less academic (学业的) competition or even family honor,(荣耀)” said Chen Yi, who has lived in the US for 16 years. “But life in foreign countries can be hard for young people. Because they have to face a culture shock and language problems.”
However, these are not always the most difficult things. To most children, controlling(控制) themselves when studying alone in a foreign country is a big challengeZhang Jia, a 16-year-old student, entered a high school in Australia last October. To his surprise, his teachers there seldom pushed students to study. And usually there wasn't much homework.
“In this education system we have more free time and space for thinking,” said Zhang. “But if you don't know how to manage your time and money, you will not have an easy life.”
Some students spent their whole year's money in the first two months. Besides, they did not pass their exams.
“Studying abroad at a young age can help students learn foreign languages and broaden their minds, but students and parents should know about the challenges,” Chen said.
“If you want to study abroad, try to talk to someone with overseas experience. (海外经历)Make sure that you are prepared―both mentally(精神上) and financially (经济上).”