Every year thousands of people leave the comforts of their homes to learn a foreign language in another country.

But is it really a good decision to learn a language by studying abroad？Here are some advantages and disadvantages（优势和劣势）：

When you are in a foreign country，the local language comes easier and faster because the language is everywhere─on the streets，in the stores，on the TV─you can't get away from it.

We often grow up thinking that our way of doing things is the only way，or sometimes the best way. But living in a new culture helps us realize new ways of doing things. Also，you may get to know classmates from all over the world.

Living in another country，even if it is with a host family，means you might be doing things you may not have done in your home country. These include cooking，cleaning，grocery shopping，washing clothes，etc. You may think of this as a disadvantage，but many international students go home proudly because they have become very independent.

Many people think that they just need to live in another country and they will learn the local language. This is not completely true. You still need to pay attention and study. There are people who have lived in foreign countries for many，many years without knowing the language well.

You will probably have times when you miss your family，friends，food，and everything familiar（熟悉的）. Almost everyone goes through some culture shock. You will have to realize and accept that it will take some time to get used to a new way of living.