High School Study Abroad Program (in Europe)?

Question

I'm thinking of studying abroad in two years (will be in 10th grade by then), and I'm torn on which country to choose from: Austria, England, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, or Russia. I'd greatly appreciate it if the people who have traveled/spent time in those countries will list the pros/cons. Thanks!!

Answer 1

I've spent time in England and the Netherlands, but I'll talk about the countries I haven't been to first! I've heard that Austria is beautiful and very old-world. It is the kind of place where you can grab a guitar and pretend you are Maria from the Sound of Music...Ireland, I've heard, is pretty lovely as well; however, Ireland has the added bonus of everyone more or less speaking English. Italy and Russia, I've heard, can be pretty difficult to navigate due to language barriers. I think it depends on how well you want to be able to get around/communicate with locals during your free time. You can always get by with a guidebook, but it is nice to meet people who can understand what you're saying 99% of the time.

Overall, I spent three months in England and two weeks in the Netherlands. All I can say is: the rumors about the Netherlands are more or less true. There is a lot of drug use, which can be intimidating. There are also some issues with prostitution which is quite visible. If you are the kind of person who can take care of herself and "deal" with seeing those kinds of things, it is a very wonderful place (Amsterdam does have the Anne Frank house, after all as well as many world-class museums). England was fun because I went with friends and had lots of free time. It's a great place to go if you like seeing plays (and not just Shakespeare). It is also good for comedy shows, concerts, and sight-seeing. The museums there are free, and everyone speaks English, so you're good to go there. The only issue I had with England was the amount of drinking done there. I wasn't a prude by any means, but I remember seeing really young people drunk at bus stops and passed out on corners. Unlike Amsterdam, though, I wasn't freaked out by the locals or the "drug users" (in this case: alcohol). I think Ireland is somewhat similar in this regard. If you're into those countries, then you're going to enjoy them. My suggestion is to try to read a book/play/etc. from an author in each country and see which ones "spark" your imagination. Read up on the histories of each a little bit and see if there are any things you'd "have" to see or else you would never forgive yourself. For example: I loooove ghost stories, and England has a tradition of ghost stories and storytelling (as does Scotland). I spent many nights listening to men and women in black cloaks tell ghost stories while they led us through the city streets, back alleys, and sometimes underground cities by lanternlight. Very worth it, indeed.  

Answer 2

Well, I've only been to Italy, and it was absolutely gorgeous. It's a wonderful experience if you get a chance. The only thing is, I'm not sure that I would choose to go there alone (or at least with none of my family or close friends) sophomore year. It's a little scary, especially in Rome. We were warned about pickpockets extremely often, and when my brother went there, his friend almost had his passport and money stolen. It's your choice though, because it's still a beautiful country. If you're going to be with someone all the time, I'd say it's safe.

Good luck and stay safe!