Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 22
Studying Abroad
AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THERE ARE more than 100,000 Americans
spending at least one semester studying abroad. In fact, according
to a study by the Institute of International Education dated November
13, 2001, a record 143,590 American college students were receiving col-
lege credit for study abroad that year. This number only reflects college
students. The survey did not count the thousands of dependent children
of Americans working overseas and attending local grade, middle, and
high schools. Moreover, the trend also shows that the number of U.S. stu-
dents going to less traditional destinations is increasing. Over the last 15
years, the shift has been away from the formerly most popular areas, espe-
cially Europe, to the less developed regions of the world, such as South
and Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The percentage of
students going to European countries declined by 18 percent between 1985
and 2001. Europe remained the most popular destination, with 89,593
students during the year 2001, but Latin America had 14 percent of the
total number of American students abroad, an increase of 7 percent since
1985. The Middle East, despite the unrest there, also experienced a 15
percent increase. Exhibit 22.1 shows this trend in more detail.
The security concerns attendant to this shift is readily obvious. Many
of the nations experiencing the highest growth in student enrollment are
also experiencing very high rates of terrorist activity. Less developed
countries also pose a greater health risk to the student. The prevalence of
disease and the lack of modern medical facilities is a serious concern. Civil
unrest, always a danger to the foreign population, is always greater in
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