Hi, a little back ground for you. My 15-year-old son has some incredibly high goals for himself already. He loves to learn other languages. He is taking Spanish in high school, Learning Japanese after school and learning French from a cd. He is very strong in his beliefs and morals. (He is truly a blessing) He has decided to be a linguist for his career.
He really wants to be a foreign exchange student in his junior year. I asked him not to do it his senior year as I want him home for graduation. Any way we have been looking at one company that lets the kids go for 10 months with the host family. He wants to go to Thailand, China, or Japan. Unfortunately last week in the Rocky Mountain News there was a story of a kid that went to Egypt and almost died of starvation from his host family. Needless to say my first instinct was to say NO!!!!!!!!! But I am trying to be open minded and see if anyone has some recommendations for companies to use or has had any experiences? Am I over reacting?
Thanks,
J.
I think participating in an exchange program could be a wonderful experience that your son will treasure for a lifetime AND I think that every precaution necessary must be taken to ensure his safety. Here is a link to a non-profit organization that is dedicated to making foreign exchange students safer both in the US and abroad:
Good luck!!
E.
Your son sounds a lot like me when I was in high school. I was obsessed with travel, French, Spanish. I joined the foreign exchange club, which prepared kids and families to go. Unfortunately my family couldn't afford to send me so other kids went and I didn't. It broke my heart. I would let your son go, set him free. It's his heart's desire. It is the most amazing experience for your son. He will be fluent in a language, experienced in another country, and ready for college. Only your fears hold him back, and personal desires for him to be home for graduation. Your are projecting your desires on him, rather than giving him the room to be himself and fulfill his own desires.
It's the experience of a lifetime for a kid. I hope you let him go. The world is waiting for him! Much love to you and your family whatever you decide.
S.
Hi J.-
I spent two summers abroad in high school and a semester abroad in college. My thoughts would be to let your son go--he is clearly bright, responsible and interested in the world. Congratulations on raising such a person! In terms of the Egypt story--every respectable program should have contacts in place that become a mentor or adviser during your son's stay. That student should have contacted someone if there was an issue. Sounded strange to me. If there are issues with the hosts, he can request another host family. I was involved with AFS all throughout high school and it was an amazing organization. There will always be struggles, because it is a new experience and new beliefs to live with, but it is such an amazing experience. Living abroad contributed to the person I am--and you can go visit! You can experience Asia too! Check out AFS, ASSE and AYUSA--all reputable programs. As long as your son knows he has a responsible contact if he's uncomfortable once he's arrived, it should be a wonderful time for him. You can check out a summer program, but I can tell you it's just not long enough to really understand a place and culture. It is a good cheaper alternative and he can find out if he wants to study in that same country in college or somewhere else. A fun warning though: he will also come home with what I call "itchy feet"--he'll have a new love of travel and adventure and will spend his life visiting and living in other cultures. When he's home for too long, he'll get itchy feet to be a place he hasn't been. To learn more and see the world--and that's a wonderful thing! Best of luck!
Why not try a shorter summer trip through a local Rotary Club and then utilize the college courses that he can take abroad. Do they even do HS year long exchanges?
I was a foreign exchange student in 1997 (when I was fifteen) and it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Let him go, but make sure he can stay connected to you. You can get cell phones that work internationally and set him up with an internet connection. That way he can let you know if he's in trouble.
Travel and living abroad is a great experience, especially in this increasingly global world. I lived in Geneva, Switzerland for one year as a junior in college. Currently, I also live abroad. I think that 10 months abroad is too much for someone in high school and agree that a summer program is much better. For Americans, culture shock can be really overwhelming, and so a shorter stint may be more positive (e.g., 6 weeks) than something longer. When I went, it was through the programs offered by my college, but I bet with a bit of research on the internet, he can find something suitable. At that age, living with a family is the best bet. I would suggest trying somewhere where he has the most language experience, like Spain. And don't worry Mom, there are toilet paper and antibiotics in Spain too!! He just needs to know that if he feels unsafe or if there are major problems, you'll have a plane ticket home waiting for him. Happy travels!
