If you are hesitant about pursuing degree programs overseas at an Australian college or elsewhere, you may have heard some horror stories or other reasons about why it is difficult. But, as the late lyricist DuBose Hayward wrote in the score of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, “…it ain’t necessarily so.” There are many good reasons to go through an MBA program or get an International Relations degree from an overseas institution. There are a number of myths surrounding degree programs overseas that you should be aware of.

One of the most prevalent of these is the expense. The fact is that in many cases, you will be an exchange student: you’ll simply be trading places with a foreign student, and except for your plane ticket, you won’t incur any expenses that you would not have had otherwise. In addition, you can use financial aid awards for this purpose, and as a student overseas, may be allowed to engage in limited employment as well.

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Today, the new President of Colombia will be sworn into office, Juan Miguel Santos. With his new administration, there is hope for a fresh start towards peaceful relationships for the two neighboring countries, whose political differences are quite stark. However, the vital need for peace stretches far beyond the borders of Venezuela and Colombia, to all of the Americas, and even to the entire world community.

First, let’s examine what a hypothetical war which seems to be increasingly feared could do to world relations. The U.S. would most likely back its ally Columbia financially and with arms, as would other industrialized nations such as Israel and Great Britain. Venezuela would most likely receive the support of other leftist nations such as Ecuador, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Bolivia. It might also receive support from its other “new” allies such as Russia and Iran. Will this start some type of World War? Most likely not; however, it could greatly strain international cooperation and peace.

Obviously, a nation like the U.S. cannot be seen as a neutral player in the conflict with all the past and current involvement in the region. Fortunately, some nations such as Brazil are really trying to make sure that a peace agreement is worked out between the two nations. It will be interesting to see how these new “powers” start shaping international relations.

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