It is much better that the young person tries it and decides it's not for them, than for the young person to never try and to have that doubt gnawing at them for the rest of their life.
And why would that doubt be gnawing at them for the rest of their life? Do you think it is possible that all the rah-rah "moving abroad is great" messaging could have something to do with it?
Moving abroad is often a choice. Moving back can be a lot harder once you have a spouse and children.
> and they would have plenty of time to course-correct
Not in the common scenario where they have married and had children abroad.
I do know of some people who left their country for 10+ years and returned. In all cases they had married somebody of the same nationality as theirs and moved while the children were still too young to care.
In other words, the people who can easily return typically do so. Those who don't return often want but can't for one reason or another (usually their new family).
exactly, it is an experience that will shape their lives. in my opinion everyone should spend at least one year abroad somewhere just for the experience.
i spent 11th grade as an exchange student, so when i got a job abroad years later, i knew what i was getting into.
in between i volunteered for IAESTE, an organization that helps students get internships abroad because i believed that it would be a valuable experience more students should be able to benefit from.
