| If you are planning a career as an interpreter, translator | | | | way one can get around this; it's by joining an |
| or any thing involving international exchange, it's | | | | exchange program. |
| absolutely mandatory one learn a second language, | | | | Before saying this is only for high school students, think |
| and preferably three or more. At the same time, there | | | | twice. There are many who study language as late as |
| is one thing many students never think of but is | | | | in their Doctoral program who will spend a year in |
| something recruiters make a point of looking out for, if | | | | Madrid, Paris or Beijing. Many institutions of higher |
| the job candidate in front of them actually did any | | | | learning, both online and traditional colleges, have such |
| travel overseas - and by that we don't mean a long | | | | programs in place. Yes, they are not cheap, but there |
| weekend in London or Toronto. | | | | are also scholarships and grants available through |
| Actually, what these hiring authorities will pay premium | | | | organizations such as the CIEE or Rotary Youth |
| for are candidates who have been through what they | | | | Exchange. |
| love to call "total immersion", i.e., actually living in a | | | | One thing one must always consider when taking this |
| foreign country for an extended period of time, from a | | | | route is that each organization has certain bylaws. For |
| number of months to actual years. | | | | instance, the Rotary only allows its candidates to pack |
| The reason for this is the old adage of understanding | | | | two suitcases and even limits the number of |
| a person better if you walk a mile or two in their | | | | communications one can make with one's home. As |
| shoes. You not only learn the technical denotations of | | | | for keeping up with studies, some might expect you to |
| a language and culture, but also the subtle connotations | | | | take an overseas school's classes; others might |
| and customs. These are things that one can't just learn | | | | expect you to continue your studies with your home |
| from a textbook, but can learn by living them. | | | | school online. |
| Now there are students who are fortunate enough to | | | | The payoff will not only be a deeper understanding of |
| have grown up in these cultures naturally. Usually their | | | | the language, but also of that particular country's |
| parents worked in the military, diplomacy, international | | | | culture. True, one might end it all with something like a |
| business or something similar. Yet there are many | | | | CLEP, to see just how much of the language one did |
| more that have always lived States-side and dream | | | | learn. Just look at that as a way of gaining credit |
| of a year in Rome or Tokyo. As it happens, there is a | | | | towards other courses you'd otherwise have to take. |