What I Hope to Gain through Studying Abroad I am interested in how people from different cultures and societies interact and live. I was born and raised my entire life in the Bay Area of California. I want to live, learn and experience what life is like in another country.Studying abroad seems to offer a new perspective of education. It provides a foreign environment in which students can engage themselves both academically and socially. Such first-hand experiences are what I believe to be the key elements of true learning, as they allow one to attain knowledge based on personal experience and understanding.Through studying and living in another country, I hope to expand my knowledge and perspective of others. I plan to do as much traveling as possible during my study abroad. I am excited to meet new people from diverse backgrounds along the way. I hope to engage in a mutually beneficial exchange of viewpoints with these people.Since I have always lived in one central area, I feel that my overall perception of the world is somewhat shallow. I want to see how the world appears to others through their own eyes, thus developing a broader spectrum of values and ideologies. I believe this experience will enable me to be a more productive and empathetic world citizen. ...