The song “Going abroad” by Issa Bagayogo

1.

a) If you want to study abroad you have to be a strong minded person. You need to know yourself well and be able to accept it if your are not ready to go abroad on you own.

b) People who still act immature, and who have a hard time making decision and standing up for them afterwards should not go abroad. Even though you might own a car or have a child, you can be immature.

c) If you go abroad you will gain maturity and will probably come back a more grown-up and stronger person.

d) If you go abroad you risk experiencing hardship and hostility frpm your host, and things might not turn out to be exactly as you had hope for.

e) People who succeed abroad should be looked up to, and regarded with respect and admiration, because you have to be a really strong and determent persom to do something like this.

2. The message in the song is that you need to be quite special and strong person to be able to go abroad all by yourself. Even people who seem grown-up and mature, might be immature and childish, and probably won’t succeed abroad. Accordingly some people is suitable for going abroad, while others aren’t despite their self declared maturity, but the people who do succeed should be pay tribute to and respected.

3. Words that are repeated several times in the text:

- You can have

- But remain immature

The words are repeated to enhance their meaning, and to make us remember this words especially. The author wishes to make it obvious to us that even though a person might seem mature and grown-up, it might be a hallucination, and he or she might in fact be immature and childish.

The opportunity of a lifetime

To take a year away from your everyday lift, to experience something totally different, is something which is both educational and challenging. When it comes to deciding what you wish to do on your year off the opportunities are endless. One of the most popular choices, which I would strong advice to your, is taking a study year abroad. Speaking from experience I can promise you that you will have a year you will never forget. The alternatives are never-ending; you can take a year in one of the most vibrant cities in the world or slumber away on a tropical beach, all combined with the studies of your own choice.  

Staying a year studying abroad will not only supply you with an education, but you will also have the opportunity to learn a new language and to get to know a new culture. In addition, you increase your network of life-long friends, which will broaden your horizon.

You need to begin your preparations in good time before your intended departure, to ensure that the college or university your choose is to satisfaction and meets your demands. The language- and cultural knowledge, and the subjects you educate yourself in, might have a lot to say when your are to enter into working life, and might affect your job prospects greatly.

The economic side is another thing which is important to consider when choosing the country and school in which you wish to study. Most Norwegians normally choose to study in an English-speaking country because Norwegians traditionally are best qualified in this language. Why not consider a year in for example Italy or Russia? It is cheaper and you will gain knowledge about a culture that might not be that widely known. On the contrary, seeing that most schools teach in the country’s own language, you need to be reasonable and aware of your on language skills. It might be smart to use a few month to freshen up or take an intensive course, because you might have to sit for an entrance examination to determine your knowledge in both language and other subject, for example the SATs or the TOEFL.

Other thing you need to consider is what you would like to study, which might seem easy a first, but which it is harder than it seems. Basically you can study just about everything abroad, but most importantly you need to choose an education which will result in a job you can feel comfortable with. To be able to receive a scholarship from Lånekassen your education has to fulfil these requirements:

- the education has to be on university- or collegelevel,

- it has to be equal to or a part of the Norwegian demands, and give occupational- or educational qualifications in Norway

- the school and the degree has to be authorized by the government the chosen country

To be sure to receive financial assistance from Lånekassen the most important thing you should do is to contact ANSA and have them conform that the education is approved in Norway, and if it is eligible for aid. I would strongly advice you not to leave until you are 100 present sure about your possibilities when you com back to Norway.

You can either choose to organize your year through an organisation such as ANSA, which act as an intermediary between you and a school abroad, or you could travel all on your own, and apply directly to the university or college you wish to study at. Without a dought the safest bet would be to contact an prganization which will garanti you protection and help both before and during

Sources

Studentum: http://www.studentum.no/no/studentum/studier_i_utlandet.aspx

Bjørknes: http://www.bjorknes.no/wwe/default.asp?fkAKId=212&side=&SiId=165&emne=sider

Jobbfeber: http://www.jobbfeber.no/