I totally disagree, it's not a personal preference! If your left footed then you need to be going to your right, I know it feels odd at first but stick at it and after a while.
But one day all of a sudden it will feel right.
Oh course it's a benefit to beable to go both ways.
The main reason why its better is because you have to travel less distance, basically having to clear the pedal, and you leg is in the way for body movement.
If you look at every all the riders who can side hop big they all go that way, with no excetions!
I know it may feel totally wrong at first but the sooner you try to learn the better, when going the wrong way you are reinforcing that bad technique into your head, this making learning the correct way even harder