Some students and recent grads decide to work abroad to help them clarify their career and life goals. Working and living in a foreign culture -- away from the pressures of home -- gives you the chance to discover more about yourself and what you want from life.

For students who have lived very sheltered lives -- ones in which helicopter parents swooped in at the sign of any troubles -- living truly independently half a world away is an amazing opportunity to grow and mature into adulthood.

Finally, working and living abroad -- even if for just a short period -- opens a window to a more global perspective of things, along with a great appreciation of other cultures, and perhaps a better understanding of others.