Having studied on three different continents (although in places that were based on a typical Western model), I think it is important to recognize what is good and bad about the Western system.

A typical university in Europe or the States tends to give you really strong tools of analysis. The "scientific method", in all it's variegated forms, is a good basis for study. It allows a certain amount of detachment from what you're studying, which can help in the search for truth.

HOWEVER, it is a system subject to prejudice and lack of perspective. Often times this is ignored, as teachers and students hide behind "method" as a guise for their prejudices. What is even more maddening is the feeling that because of this "superior" method, their results couldn't possibly be biased. I personally have met a lot of sanctimonious students and professors in my travels who would pontificate on really narrow positions, then, because of their selective use of scientific methods of research, would become almost fanatical. This is an obstacle you will definitely encounter.

Finally, what Cindylu said above I can confirm from experience. Learning entails getting out of the library and talking to people, especially in the social sciences. That's the only way to get a full picture and it is something that too few people take advantage of (me included during my time in University). I feel that often, this isn't emphasized in the classroom - but it is the root of true academic and personal quests for knowledge.

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The man. The myth. The Ruiz.