Information on Studying Abroad

It's been a few years, but I attended high school in Spain as a foreign exchange student. I ended up using a exchange program to make all of the arrangements, which was very helpful. There are several out there, so do a lot of research and make sure the company is reputable (afs, asse, and ayusa have been around for some time) and fits with your objectives/comfort level.

Couple of tips:

- Don't be afraid to turn down a family if there is something that makes you uneasy. My first family was a man and his 16-year old son. It didn't seem like a great idea, so I passed and was given a new family.

- There is a big difference between the quality of education in a public vs a private school in Europe. Find out if it's worth the extra money for a private school. I can tell you that in Spain it is.

- Verify that class credits will be accepted back at home. My high school would only accept about half, so I graduated as a junior and went to Spain instead of having a Senior year.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to email me. My address is on my blog at www.theburghbaby.com.

Not sure if you class England as Europeon but I am from there. I studied abroad here in America at college. I loved it but if I were you I would wait till she is a little older. As out going as I am it is a daunting responsibility to be alone without anyone you know and start from scratch.
Also as you know some european cultures are very relaxed about teenage drinking and sexual activity. You would have to trust her host family implicitly to provide a solid home base.
If you have family, friends over there who could host her and you feel she is responsible enough to take care of her self then I would say go for it.
I know for me when my friends have let their kids go on exchange they have managed to find a family in the same religion as them as we have an international base of our religion to were our leaders can get hold of other members in different countries. I know this has put them at ease to know their kids have the same rules and sstandards as at home.
If an exchange falls through have you heard of the humanitarian vacations you can take in south ammerica or other places with you teenagers. This could also be a fabulous opportunity for your daughter.And you could go too!

http://www.ffhe.org/allaboutexpeditions.htm

Hi!
You may want to look into ASSE. Our family hosted several European high school students (France, Russia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia) through ASSE. Their students are well prepared for their trip here. They attend "camps" prior to their arrival that prepare them for specific American "ways" etc. They will have information for your daughter to study abroad as well. It works both ways. They also have a special program for students who need financial assistance. Our student from Russia (Abhkazia) was in this special program. They also offer discounts for your children to study abroad if you host a student in your home. Sadly, none of my children took advantage of that opportunity. Good luck on your exciting venture! I love international travel and wish you well!
-J.

When I was a teen in Ohio my family "hosted" a young man from South Africa through AFS. That year our community also hosted a young lady from Italy. I would recommend the AFS program. American Field Service (If I remember correctly.) The teens came and stayed with a family for the school year..in our case arriving in August and leaving about a week or so after graduation. They experienced the Senior year of high school with all the bells and whistles. We held tons of fund raisers to off set the price of their extra's like class rings, sr. pictures, caps & gowns, yearbooks as well as their living expenses and airfare. I honestly don't know what their personal costs to the program were/are. I do know that they were both 18 yrs old and had completed their equalivant of our high school the year before they came over here. It was an amazing experience to have an "AFS brother".
It was so amazing that just a few of years ago I hosted a scout from the Netherlands for a summer. It was fun showing her around Pittsburgh and showing her some of the USA when she had time off of her job. (She worked at one of the local Girl Scout Camps that has since closed.) If your daughter is in Girl Scouts you should look into their international programs as well. Good luck & best wishes!!

I am moving with my family for Germany for a few years for my husband's job and this has been a few years in the works. We leave now in August and it has been pretty crazy! I have learned that the school my daughter will be attending is very different than the school's they have here in the States. For example, my daughter will be placed in one of 3 Tracks (job training, vocational degree, university) based on her testing scores. Her school will also be year round and half a day. My point is, I would consider the places you are interested in and really check with the local embassies (both here and there) for information on their schools. Another really valid idea would be to look for a private International school. I know there are two of them within an hour of where we are going. The tuition is not cheap, however. Roughly, 1,000 a month. Finally, there are several existing hosting programs. Check with your daughter's current schools and my only advice is to research, research, research, research!! Spending a year in Europe is a long time. What will happen if she doesn't like it? Doesn't get along with her host family? Can you extend it? What will be your cost or obligation connected? Can you be a part of exchange program and "trade" with another host family? Do you have family in Italy that your daughter can stay with and who can help you gather information on their schools for you? Good luck!!!!!!

Hi! I lived and studied abroad for a year in Spain as a 17-year-old through the School Year Abroad (SYA) program. It was a remarkable experience, truly formative for me. SYA is interesting because the students live with local families, but attend a private school together. So the cultural immersion comes from the family-stay, but students are still able to fulfill their American high school curricular requirements.

My high school was a member of the consortium associated with this program, but they encourage students from any an accredited high school to apply. They also have financial aid opportunities available to help pay for the program.

Here is the home page of the SYA website: http://www.sya.org/
Here are the FAQs, which is a useful place to start: http://www.sya.org/pages/sitepage.cfm?id=41&pname=Hom...

Good luck!
H. Seith

All I know is-your daughter is LUCKY! I'm a 38 year old artist privileged enough to have gone to high school in Europe. My dad was stationed in Germany. Even though it was an American school, I received priceless exposure to Europes richness, beauty and culture. I have no new info, sorry-just want to congratulate you on being awesome in doing this for your daughter.
a m y