Which colour? Too much choice!

Most students who decide to study abroad already know where they want to go. Well, almost. The obvious choices are Australia, the UK, the US and maybe the lesser-chosen destinations of New Zealand and Canada. There are even a few who opt for France, Germany or Japan, which is a bit like choosing mauve or cerise (is that a colour?).

What about Sweden, Malta (guess where?) or South Africa; surprisingly, once in a blue moon (why that colour?), someone does ask for such an alternative.

It's a strange thing, fashion. While we all pride ourselves on being individual, fashion drives us to all follow the crowd. So if all of my friends are going to the US, it must be a good idea, and thus so will I. But that's like saying all of your friends are buying red this season, and so now you will, too, whether or not it actually suits you.

Now, maybe I've taken this colour thing a bit too far. After all, choosing your country of study is a serious decision. You will spend a lot of money on this and a lot of time there. So it's time for you to do some research (serious word). Connect to the Internet and learn all about the place. Where it is, its climate, the people, environment, time zone, what they eat for breakfast - everything. Think about a normal day in your life and imagine how it may be in that country. Make a checklist of all you need to know and search for it. And don't forget the new stuff: I've always wanted to go horse riding; can I do that there?

What you want to study is available in most countries, so you have a lot of places from which to select, but please remember that your choice of country is the first choice you must make when you decide to study abroad. When people ask, "Which country should I study in?" it is very difficult to advise them. Some things you must decide for yourself.

So, where was I? Blue or green? My friend said blue was "in" this year, so maybe I'll go for that, or ...?

John Kelly

Director

Mentor International

www.mentor.ac