Why a summer abroad is the best idea ever

Dreaming of summer? Yeah, us too. Those long, sunny days and the huge break from class… Sigh. It can’t come soon enough.

We’ll be packing our passports for our summer break this year, and here’s why you should too:

Make new international friends for life

What’s better than having lots of friends in your home country? Having even more friends abroad! One summer is all it takes to cement friendships that can last a lifetime. You’ll have the perfect excuse to go back and visit in years to come and when you do, there’s no need for a hotel – friends always have the cosiest of places to stay, know the best brunch hangouts and make the best local tour guides. One day, when they come to visit you, it’ll be your turn to show off your home town as you catch up.

Quickly improve your language skills

The fastest way to learn a language is to live it, it’s as simple as that. When you hang out on the beaches of Miami or even just chill with friends in Paris, you’ll be working on your language skills and testing out your vocab. You’ll be top of the class when you get back to school and it won’t even feel like you’ve studied.

Make your parents happy

‘Mum, Dad, I’d love to spend the summer abroad!’ When they hear this, they’ll be super pleased that their confident offspring wants to do something interesting and exciting with their summer break. Combining it with some language learning (see the point above) is a guaranteed way to make them proud (and also have an amazing summer). Honest – I speak from experience.

Get a guaranteed tan

Dive into the Blue Lagoon in Malta, live the beach dream in Nice, or enjoy the turquoise waters of Florida  – you’re definitely coming back to school with a golden glow. You’ll spend all your time making the most of the great outdoors – and the glorious sunshine – so your natural tan will be the envy of your classmates. What better way to start the new school year? (Important side note: a tan is great, but wearing sunscreen is even greater. Your future skin will thank you.)

Think of your Instagram feed…

The whole experience of spending a summer abroad and hanging out with new friends in an awesome new city is amazing. But if nobody saw it, did it even really happen? This is the perfect chance for you to put your phone to good use – start snapping your travels, tag your mates and even let us know about it (with #EFMoment or #EFForever). Filled with pics of the best views, your favourite coffee shops and all the times you’ve made memories that will last a lifetime, your Instagram feed will never have looked so good.

Dive head first into something new

Those long summer breaks weren’t designed for binging on Netflix, and the sun isn’t meant to only be enjoyed from your own back garden. With the luxury of plenty of weeks to spare every summer (trust us, you’ll miss that when you start working!), you’d be a fool not to make the most of it and spend some serious time abroad.

Take the opportunity to travel and discover new cultures and environments. Sip a smoothie in sunny California (Long Beach is our favorite), or take a traditional afternoon tea in Cambridge; there are so many other cultures out there just waiting for you to enjoy. Warning: it’s enriching but might leave you with a lifetime case of wanderlust.