Forign exchange student starved abroad in egypt!!!!!!!!!!?

Question

How sad is that. I wanted to go study abroad with AFS but now im not so sure. this is sad please read it and tell me what you think.

http://travel.msn.com/Guides/article.aspx?cp-documentid=465473&GT1=10856

Answer 1

That's terrible, but he could have gotten out:

"Friends and teachers at his English-speaking school in Egypt urged him to change his host family, but he stayed put after being told the other home was in a dangerous neighborhood of Alexandria." (from the MSN article)

It doesn't really look like neglect on the part of the company per se, though perhaps they should have forced him to change host families.

Answer 2

Overall, I think that this incident was over reacted to by our media.  i think that it was largely his own choice.  Its not like they forced him to stay there (and pay money for the program as well)

After all, to lose that many pounds doesnt usually occur in a couple of weeks.   it takes months.

He had a chance to experience life as people in egypt did.  and if he were really in any real trouble, im sure he could have found ways to contact someone in america/authorities.  

So even if you still think this was some sort of human rights abuse by a foreign exchange program, rest assured in the fact that if this happened on a regular basis, there wouldnt be foreign exchange programs at all (lawsuits would most likely put them out of business.)  

i personally really want to go on a foreign exchange program. it really lets you take in how people all over the world live their everyday lives.

so in the end, its up to you whether you want to let this media hyped article prevent you from a wonderful experience.

i hope i helped!

-muse