HIGH SCHOOL FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT QUESTIONS?
Im going to be 15 in february and i am in 9th grade in California,USA. I really want to be an exchange student to Belgium, England(if possible), New Zealand, or Norway. But i have a few questions. -What programs are like official programs and reliable -How do i convince my parents to let me go? -How do i convince them that i can do it and not want to come home? -How do i raise the money? -On some of the programs applications to submit the pre-application thing it cost money but some of them are nonrefundable. why is that? What if you dont get accepted? -How likely is it that you will get accepted. -What happens when you first arrive in the country? Please answer as much as you can thank you:)
Primary & Secondary Education - 2 Answers
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1 :
Speak with your school counselor or principal. They can direct you to exchange programs that offer a valuable educational experience and a fair amount of safety. The programs will have brochures that you can read about the 'experiences' when you first arrive, how long you stay, how much it costs etc. You generally have to pay for plane tickets, medical insurance and all your own spending money for snacks, clothes, etc. Usually students are placed with families that have been checked and have some training in providing support for students in a foreign country.
2 :
Going on exchange is a wonderful experience - how wonderful that you are considering it. Answers: - YFU (Youth For Understanding), AFS, and Rotary are frequently called "the big 3" when it comes to exchanges - long histories and good reputations, although a few others are making their way up that list. Please forgive my bias towards YFU - it's the one that I have direct experience with (I am a 5-time host mom and volunteer). I am gaining indirect experience by corresponding with former students. When I have asked exchange students why they chose YFU, I get the following answers: (1) YFU gave them more bang for their buck and/or (2) someone they knew and trusted recommended YFU. 95% of the fees collected by YFU go for direct program costs (airline tickets, support in hosting country, etc.). YFU has been around for almost 60 years and has learned how to make exchanges successful. If you choose another organization, please make sure that it is listed with the Council for Standards on International Educational Travel (csiet.org). They routinely audit programs for quality. While it is possible that a good organization is not listed with them, it is less likely and I would advise doing more research on anyone that is not listed with them. YFU has programs to Belgium (if you want to go to French-speaking Belgium, you'll need to have studied French for 2 years before going; if you want to go to Dutch-speaking Belgium, no previous study is required) and Norway (no previous language study required). Use CSIET's "Getting Started" tool (http://getstarted.csiet.org/?fuseaction=app.study) to investigate the agencies that go to England and/or New Zealand. - First, gather lots of information -- your parents will need to know that you have considered all the factors of going on exchange. The links below can help. Also, and I don't mean to insinuate anything here, but make sure you go to them with the right attitude -- don't go into the conversation with the attitude of having to convince them to let you do something they don't think is right for you -- have the attitude of giving them information that they might not have so that they can make a well-informed decision. Remember that they will have your best interests at heart and there may be factors that you don't know about. - Try to think about the reasons that may want you to come home. Then think of things that you will do when those reasons happen. *EVERY* exchange student will experience homesickness. Some get it worse than others. What's important is what you will do about it. - One of the links below is to a booklet of things other exchange students have done in the past. There are also competitive scholarships that you can try for. - I can only talk about YFU, which doesn't have a "pre-application". YFU does have a non-refundable application fee. This pays for paperwork and other things that have to be done before your file is reviewed for acceptance. (If you're worried about being accepted, talk to an admissions counselor or other staff/volunteer -- it's free :) .) With YFU, if you pay the application fee and you're not accepted, the fee can be 'rolled over' to the next year. - How likely it is that you will be accepted depends on many factors including (but not limited to): whether or not you meet the countries requirements (age, language study, etc.); special requirements (diet, religion, health, etc.) that you may have; how full the program is (space is limited and some programs (especially Japan) fill quickly); and the results of your application interview. - That depends on the country. Some have a special language 'camp'. With others, you will directly to your permanent host family and start life with them. Before you go, you will have a 'pre-departure orientation' -- a group meeting (if you live somewhere where a group one is possible, otherwise it will be one-on-one) where things like the program rules, expectations (ones you should have of your host family and of the program, ones your host family and program are likely to have of you, etc.), organization structure, ideas for combating homesickness, etc., will be discussed. I hope this helps. Check out the links below and good luck to you no matter what you choose!
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