Study Abroad

So I have ALWAYS wanted to travel, and I have been thinking lately that I would LOVE to go to England. 

I have been on track and preparing to graduate early, but then I got to thinking, what about instead of graduating early I just spent my senior year doing study abroad in England?

Has anyone else done study abroad or student exchange?  What are your thoughts on it?  Worth it?

Anyone?

i'd love to study abroad, but women get mad when you call them a broad.  come on who didn't see that one coming?

Oh jeez...should have seen it =P

I would look up some school websites and see their requirements, and fees...international students coming to school here in Canada or USA have waaay higher tuition fees, so you might want to take a look at what those schools in England say. Also I believe generally first spots go to the local people and then international students get offered a spot on the end of the list...however I'm not sure if it's different for exchange students, maybe that doesn't apply.

Have you ever been to England? If possible you should take a trip there, see if you like it there (ie. weather lol) and even check out the schools you're interested in. 

i would totally recommend studying abroad.  i studied in ireland and had the best time in the world.  i learned so much about another country and it's history and culture, i made close friends (some of us even returned back to ireland together last year...7 years later), and i learned a lot about myself. 

you have the rest of your life to be working - enjoy your last year of college now and make the most of it!

if you have any questions about studying abroad, feel free to send me a message. 

Studying abroad is great. I spent one year in highschool on exchange in Indonesia, another during my law degree in the Netherlands, and have done my Masters and now my PhD in Europe.

England is pretty great, and I am hoping to go there next year, my only caution would be - how rich are your parents? because england is super expensive. Even if you don't have to pay tuition because you have an exchange, living expenses are really high. I have spent alot of time in both Cambridge and Oxford and the cost of living there is just a killer. Particuarly as the US dollar continues to dive. (assuming you are american).

You might want to also consider other countries where you can study in English, eg Belgium Holland etc, in some of these countries going as a free mover student might work out more cost effective than as an exchange one, (depeding on how much your tuition is now).

Also feel free to pm me if you have any specific questions

Hey!

I am currently studying in Japan on a study abroad programme, as part of my Bachelors undergratduate degree.

My advice? Go for it!

Such an awesome, amazing opportunity.

BUT in my opinion, I wouldn't go to England on a study abroad. Don't get me wrong, I am definately keen to visit Britain, but probably when I am working, and will use England as a base from which to visit other places in Europe.

As others have said, England is super expensive, and there are so many other more exciting (read, different, read, self-growth promoting, eye opening) countries that you could visit.

What are your options in terms of countries you can visit? I would say, be brave, go somewhere exotic that really scares you.

It will probably be simultaneously the most difficult and yet the most rewarding period of your life.

Has been in my experience so far anyway, I don't want to go home

PS - come to Japan, the food is healthy and delicious, the people (in my experiance) are humble, welcoming, tolerant and as a foreigner you will be fussed over, and the shopping is out of this world!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, most universities offer a large variety of classes in English, and as a native english speaker you will have no shortage of Japanese friends, as many students want to practise their English.

OO Japan would be cool, I remember my English teacher telling us about going to Japan and how she was treated like, super well...she said everyone wanted to be her friend and they all kind of stared since she's like, a really pale redhead and kinda loud...which I guess they're not used to seeing =P haha

I would be doing all of this at the high school level so I don't know if it makes it different than the college programs...but I would assume so since I would be with a host family and all...but then again I don't know what the college programs are like! 

I just remember my aunt telling me she was going to graduate early (like me) but then decided instead of doing that she would spend her senior year in Spain.  She loved it, plus she always has nice things to say about England (but then again she is INSANELY rich..while I'm not but I believe they said they would help me out if I ask!)

I did a summer abroad in high school, between junior and senior years. I wasn't sure I wanted to be gone a full year, so the three-month program seemed just right to me. I did spend the first half of the exchange in a kinda culture shock/homesickness mode... because of the language barrier. Then everything clicked in and the rest of the time was fantastic, I didn't want to leave!

Not to put you off on the idea, but I will add one word of caution: staying with a host family and attend high school is a different scenario than studying abroad as a college student and living in a dorm situation. The vast majority of host family situations are fine, but there is a small percentage that don't turn out well... of the group I went with, there was an incidence where the student was sexually abused by the host parent. You just need to be smart about this, that's all... and if anything seems wrong to you, or makes you uncomfortable, contact the organization immediately and ask for a different host family. In this case, the girl did not say anything for 3 whole months... out of misplaced fear that she'd be sent back home, and her parents would be upset that she wasted the money.... of course, this was 25 years ago, and I do think today's high school students are much more savvy about this sort of thing.

I think as a high school student, if you haven't studied any particular language, going to England or some other English-speaking country (Australia, perhaps?) is a good idea. If you have studied a language, then go to a country where you can practice that language.

I highly recommend that you do this. You won't be sorry. I encourage my own daughters to make use of any such opportunity too... although I'm not sure I'd let them go a full year (I'd miss them too much!!!), their school does offer summer programs too. But if I was going to let them go a full year, I have a friend in Japan and a friend in Australia, and those are the people I'd send them to... because I know them already (and also both have offered to host my kids if they want to go!)

i stayed with 3 different host families when i was in ireland (and this was in college too), and i got along really really well with 2 of them.  the other family, i wasn't as close to as they sorta kept to themselves more and were going through a lot of family issues, but i still felt welcomed in the home.

jenmcc - that's absolutely horrible.  although, my guess is that the screening process for families has also changed a lot in the last 25 years too. 

DO IT!!! I did a study abroad in London for the 2nd semester of my junior year in college. I can't stress enough what a great experience it was!! The first week I was miserable and wanted to come home, then I adjusted and I loved it.

I was an English major in college, and a big part of my studying involved Shakespeare and theatre. I got to travel all around the UK and Europe while I was there.

It was an invaluable experience!! Learned so much about other cultures and learned to really appreciate what I have and how much I took for granted. Even little things like water pressure in the shower or the sink, and size of the washer/dryer. Pretty cool.

It's definitely expensive. And no matter where you go you're going to want to travel and include that in your budgeting.

ps: I stayed in a flat (an apartment) with other students in my same program. That was a large part of what made the experience so amazing. Don't know how I would feel about a host family. Not sure if you're in high school or college -- that obviously would make a difference.

I did last summer with a family in Sevilla (Seville), Spain. It was amazing. We went to several FC Sevilla football matches, drove down to Cadiz every weekend (most gorgeous coast line), and even took a trip to northern Morocco. And I absolutely fell in love with my host family. We'll always be in touch now.

Man I hope I can do this now...haha

I studied abroad in Brisbane, Australia last semester. It was different and hard at times but amazing as well! I met so many great people, and the accents are awesome :-) I always wanted to go there, and i figured, when else will I have an opportunity like this? I highly recommend Australia - they speak English, but it's so far away and exotic feeling at the same time. The beaches are beautiful, the people are fun and really interested in learning about life in the states, there are so many great things to see and do there. I'm sure England would be fabulous too though, I hope I get the change to go there some time!! Anyway, I think study abroad is a great opportunity and you should take advantage of it! I did spend a lot of money (probably more than i should have) but it was worth it.

I would LOVE to go to Australia...England or Australia would be awesome!

I can't believe I forgot about that...haha

I used to want to go there more than anywhere else!

Since you are still in high school I would completely recommend going to a country where they don't speak English, because you are still young enough to learn another language relatively easily, it would be a good way to gain an extra skill. By the end of my year in Indonesia (when I was 17) I was pretty much fluent in Indonesian, 2 and 1/2 years in Germany and I still pretty much suck (now I am well into my twenties).

It will be harder if you go to a non-english speaking country, because not only will the language be different, but also the culture tends to be more different too. But I think you will find the rewards ultimately greater.

If you have any kind of problems with disordered eating I would completely avoid asia though. Being there is where my problems sort of started and 10 years later, still wouldn't say they are better.

If you do decide to go, make sure you do alot of research and go with a good program. I went with Rotary and found the support I receieved very valuable.

If you want a non-English country, Finland has free school and some English programs :) (though most of them seem to be Master's?)...but sheesh good luck learning that language lol.

I would love to go to Australia too...I would definately have that one on the top of the list. 

I was hoping to go somewhere that spoke English haha...just because I would be kinda freaked out to go in the first place, but not even speaking the same language...yeah I don't know! haha

I have taken 2 years of French but honestly didn't like it and WOULD LIKE to forget it haha =P

I'd love to go to Spain or Italy but I haven't even had a start on those languages, so I don't know that it'd be a good idea!