There’s no mistaking that ESL study abroad in the US changed you.  It changed your worldview.  You were immersed in a different culture, hearing new viewpoints at a crucial period in your life and learning.  When you return to your home country people will notice the change in you.  You’ll be seen in a different way.  Don’t be defensive; change is good.  You can remind family and friends that you didn’t stop maturing while you were away if they imply that you seem more opinionated, or lack interest in the things you used to do.

Travel And Personal Growth

Travel affects personal growth in a number of ways.  Living outside your comfort zone helped you build confidence.  You now know that you can speak to people of different cultures, and live independently.  Pushing your own boundaries proved to you that many of those boundaries were self-imposed.  You learned more about yourself by examining your long held beliefs, cultural values, and biases.  As a consequence you developed a more sophisticated way of seeing the world, and your place in it.

Many students find the effects of travel on their personal growth so exhilarating that they can’t wait to keep learning, and continue their explorations of the globe.

In a study by Julia Zimmerman and Franz Neyer published in the September 2013 issue of The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, research showed that after study abroad, participants tended to show an increase in openness to experiences, agreeableness (the ability to get along with others), and emotional stability.

Being seen in a different way by your friends, family, and countrymen isn’t a bad thing.  What they see in you after your time studying English abroad is a more confident, worldly person.  They see someone who can adapt to any situation, and is the first person to try something new.  You’ll come to discover that travel impacted your personal growth in significant ways that will reverberate throughout your lifetime.