Study abroad, figuring out where to go? and any other tips...?

Question

im planning on using afs, but am not totally sure where to go.

i have a few ideas, but i was looking for some websites/ect that might help me with my decision. i know afs used to have a survey that helps, but i cant find it any more.

if you could make any suggestions that would be great too,

i will be 15 or 16 upon departure, im from the us, like skiing, soccer, and dance. english is my favorite subject. id prefer a coed school, but an all-girls school is okay. i have no prefrence in a public/private/catholic/ect , but i currently attend a public school and im not religious at all. i am a spanish 2 student, so i do know a little spanish. i have familiy that lives in czech republic though., just ask if you want more info....

thanks

Answer 1

You can try to visit this website which I just came across, there are a lot of information on Study Abroad, hopefully may help you:

http://summer-study-abroad-program.blogs...

Answer 2

First off, good for you!:)) seriously, I think being an exchange student is fantastic.  I was an AFSer 12 years ago and the experience has really shaped my life in the most amazing ways.  

Are there any countries that capture your heart & imagination?  If so those will be your best bet.  If you are interested in reconnecting with your Czech heritage that's definitely a big one to consider.  I went to Sweden, partly because of my ancestors but also because I knew people who had great experiences there.  

I would let you know, however, that generally speaking the further south and even east you go in Europe, the less the average person on the street knows English.  The problem I had in Sweden was that *everybody* takes English classes from the age of like, 10 - so I had to really FIGHT to get them to speak Swedish with me.  In the end I achieved a very high level of fluency because I was stubborn about wanting to learn.  

If you go somewhere where less people speak English, you will definitely learn a lot but you will probably have to deal with a greater degree of "culture shock."

If you're really looking for country suggestions, I'll just go ahead and suggest a nordic country.  It's not on most people's radar but Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland - even Iceland are all really lovely, modern countries where people enjoy a very high standard of living.  They all enjoy outdoor activities (skiing, soccer, ice hockey & floor hockey) and did you know the national dance of Finland is the Tango...?   They are a little more reserved and some people find it a little tricky to make friends at first -  but once you DO make friends with a scandinavian, they are true blue and will be your friend through thick & thin.  They are also countries where young people have a lot of personal freedoms.

Answer 3

You will be asked to pick three countries, with your first pick on top. Most likely if you go to Europe you will attend a "gymnasium" -- which is the secondary school that is for university bound students. Your "hobbies" would be done outside of school, as very few European schools have interscholastic sports. Not being religious will help a lot, as most Europeans also fall into that category -- especially western Europeans.

Any country that gives you a second language would be great as language immersion is one of the biggest benefits of your exchange. You would probably not be eligible for France or Switzerland because you haven't taken French. However, Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic all sound like good options for you.

One thing, if you haven't applied yet, and you want to go

next year, you better do so NOW! I'm pretty sure if applications aren't already closed they will be very soon. In fact, we have already picked our student for next year.

If you'd like some helpful info on becoming an exchange student, check out this on-line community: http://www.exchangestudentworld.com/

Good luck and have fun!