How do I convince my parents to go abroad?

Question

I'm only in 10th grade now but i was thinking maybe for next year...I want to go to France (I'm learning French in school). But when I asked my parents they thought it was a joke, but this is something I really want to do. My dad said I would never be able to take care of myself and my mom said I'm too young to be so far away for so long. Money is kind of an issue but I'm convinced that if i get a good job over the summer (like I did last summer) that I could pay for alot of it. Do you have any suggestions for how I could convince them. PLEASE! thanks

Answer 1

I was in your shoes.

Just keep mentioning it (but not annoyingly) and be sure they see that you want it for good reasons (to become more independent, to see how other people live, to improve your French) and not just to go to France.

Once they see you're passionate and serious about it, they may decide it's a good idea.

Answer 2

Hi. I just arrived from a year in France, an amazing expirience. I am only a freshmen, and I had a lot of young friends there too that were abroad. I don't really know your parents, but I have some tips that might work.

The French that you pick up is unbalivable. I learned more than I ever thought possible in just 4 months I could talk to anyone.

I was just called by my mom to look at my grade transcripts, and she is the college counselor at my school, and you can go into an international lycee (all around france) where you can get your credits. She also said that universities are impressed higly by years abroad, and they like to have people with different cultural expiriences.

I faught a lot with my parents and siblings, and I thought my life was boring, etc. sometimes, but after my year I learned to value everything,

I have to go, but if you need anything else just contact me. Hope I have helped.

Answer 3

Well I think it's wonderful that you want to broden your horizen and go to such a cool place.  

There are special programs to help kids study abroad. You could get loans and grants as well. So, yes, get a good job and save your money, but don't worry about the money.

As for your parents, start taking on more responsibillities to show that you can take care of yourself.

Constantley tell them how much this means to you.

Answer 4

If you can swing it - you should do it.

I spent the 9th grade in Germany - living with a German family and studying in a German high school - it was a great experience and I still have contact with some friends and acquaintances from that time ('75-'76).

My exchange was informally arranged through friends of friends of my parents.  We hosted their kids for the summer - they hosted me for the school year in Germany.  It probably saved my parents money having me not eating food for the year - the host family bought my food and such.

Tell your dad not to worry - you will not have to take care of yourself - you will have a host family to take care of you.  Tell your mom not to worry - if you get homesick - you can always go home - if you make it the whole year - then she was just wrong.

Your fluency in French may open up many opportunities for you in the future.  I worked in Germany for a German company - 25 years after going to high school there - it was a great experience.  

It scores points for college admissions.

It matures you, gives you broader cultural horizons.

This is a company that has been doing exchanges for years (they were doing exchanges when I went to Germany in '75).  They are probably a good resource for information.

http://www.afs.org/afs_or/home

http://www.afs.org/afs_or/focus_on/high_...

Also, if you can save enough money for the flight - that will show your parents that you have some amount of seriousness with the venture.