Every year, I send my new students some pieces of advice for them to think about before they travel to the U.S. for their exchange semester or year. Here are some tips that expand on recent advice I’ve given to my new student group, as they prepare to leave their home for their host countries […]
In an earlier post, I talked about the differences between J-1 and F-1 visas, and how which visa a student obtains can affect his or her study abroad experience in the U.S. In this post, I will back up a step, and ask students to think about their motivations for going on a study abroad […]
1. Take the Opportunity to Learn About Your Son or Daughter’s Destination * Read a book or two about the country where your son or daughter will be living. Research the region – the eastern part of the country may be very different from the west, or the north or south. Try to find out […]
There is a saying in the international exchange community, “exchange is not a year in one’s life, but a life in a year.” Between late May through the end of June, the students who have been on their exchange for a semester or for a full academic year are beginning to return to their home […]
Recently, a woman approached me expressing an interest in hosting an exchange student in her family. She had first asked the school near where she lived if they had exchange students she could host, and the school referred her to me. She didn’t understand why I was involved; she seemed to think I worked for […]
Visiting my son Marcus during his six months in Ghana (part of his gap year between high school and college), has been an eye-opening experience, one that has raised fundamental questions about where we stand when it comes to achieving the goals of exchange programs aimed at young adults like Marcus. When it comes to […]
This Sunday, my husband and I are heading to Ghana for two weeks. Our younger son, who is 18, is taking a gap year before heading to college at the University of Oregon this Fall. As part of that, he is spending six months in Ghana on an exchange program. He is doing a community […]
In my last blog post, I talked about the difficult feelings my students have at this time of year as they begin to realize their exchange year is almost over. They are anxious, happy, and sad; they are looking forward to being back home over the summer and miss their parents and friends, but they […]