How To Really Prepare To Study Abroad
Posted on: 28 October 2020
Study abroad programs for teens are fantastic. They can introduce the teen to other cultures and ways of living and thinking while also providing practical, everyday activities instead of treating the time abroad like summer camp. These programs allow participants to learn another language or dialect (in the case of study-abroad programs to countries where the participant already knows the language), too. Going abroad to study in high school can be especially enlightening, but it can also be stressful if the student doesn't prepare well.
Start Language Practice Early
If the student is going to a country where they already know the language (e.g., an American going to Canada or Australia), start learning slang as soon as possible. The more slang and regional usage the student knows, the less likely they are to have any misunderstandings.
If the student is going to a country where they either don't know the language or have only used the language in class (e.g., French, Spanish, and so on), get the student to start practicing using the language immediately. It's so easy to think that because a student has taken, say, Spanish for several years that speaking it should be a breeze. That's not always the case. Moving from classroom language to everyday language can be very difficult. The more practice the student has now at speaking in an everyday context, the easier the transition to living in the new country will be.
If the language is one that the student doesn't know and that doesn't have many local resources (e.g., someone from a smaller town going to Finland, for example, and not having local opportunities to speak in Finnish before leaving), at least have the student watch news videos from the country to work on comprehension while also going through books on learning the language. Do as much as you can ahead of time.
Be Realistic About Money
Double-check with the host family or program about what the student will need to pay for. Many times, the host family handles all costs except souvenirs; other times the host family handles it all. If the student is going into a boarding-school, for example, find out what sort of supplies the student will need to pay for and how much spending money is considered normal.
Verify How a School Will Handle Credit Transfers
Students going abroad for an academic semester or year need to know if the classes they take are transferable. No one really wants to be held back a year in high school because of a study-abroad program. Ask the program reps about getting transcripts or transfer information from the school abroad to reduce the number of classes the student will have to retake once they're back home.
If you find that no classes will transfer, or that too few will transfer to prevent the student from being held back, be sure the student knows this, although the study abroad staff should be able to help you straighten out some course transfer issues.
When you have these issues handled, the student's time abroad becomes a lot easier to handle. Better adjustment means a better experience overall. Contact a study abroad program for more information.
Share