Foreign Exchange Student Programs

[yoopers]

The City of Rochelle and Rochelle Township High School (RTHS) have received foreign students into our community through foreign student exchange. There have been many students down through the years from many different countries, too many to name, but we really haven't been close to the program until now, probably because we didn't have connections with the high school until last year. But it's a very intriguing program and something we may investigate.

This year, we've come to know Victor Persson from Sweden. Victor seems to be a great kid and it's been a pleasure getting to know him and hear about his life in Sweden and how it compares to life in America. Fexnix, yes it is American style football that he plays back home so he and I got to sit the other night and talk for a time about playing. I played eons ago and he played for RTHS this past fall.

That got me to thinking about the possibility of getting involved in the exchange program. It's probably too late for Ben in his sophomore year to get involved, besides he probably doesn't have the right personality for it. Ben is more reserved by nature. But Brad is in 7th grade and is quite the outgoing type of guy. His soccer club sweatshirt has the name 'Braditude' printed on the back and he really lives up to his nickname most times...in a good way. I could see Brad having great success spending a year in school in another country for a year.

So I called the principal at RTHS to inquire about the program. To my surprise, his response was, "To my knowledge, you're the first person from this end to inquire about getting involved in the program." He told me that the school works with a certain company and gave me a name, Connie, and number to call. So far, she hasn't called me back. I could see us shooting for Brad's junior year in high school as I assume he would want to be here to graduate with his class at the end of his senior year. Hopefully, I'll hear back from her soon. Of course, we would heavily investigate the possibility of Brad playing soccer that year wherever he ended up. Man, what a growing up experience it would be for him. I bet the cost is out there though. We'll just have to wait and see what Connie says when she calls back.

Have any of you been involved in a foreign exchange student program? I'd love to hear about your experiences.

Thanks,
Bruce

[habbywall]

ive never been involved but it sounds fun, when doing it one thing to remember is that he will be in another country fro months at a time, there is one foreign exchange student at my school that likes it here better then her home country australia and might go here next year for here senor year, but here parents wouldn't come so you might want to remember that you might not get to see Brad for a couple months at a time

[sarah.miller]

No personal experience but have heard tales from people I know who did take part in exchange programes.

One of my Danish friends spent about a year in Australia, she loved it, her english is still rather Aussie now 7 or 8 years later. She was 17 or 18 at the time I believe.
A Lad I knew when I was a teenager spent some months in France when he was about 13 or 14, was very homesick. His spoken french did improve massivly from almost nil to being able to cope socially and in school. I guess his reading and writing improved too. He did the exchange so young so he would not affect his exam courses in the UK. His parents missed him badly too and were not plannig on sending his younger brother on a similar exchange.
Nowadays I see a number of young men who play cricket and are spending a summer in England, playing cricket, coaching, helping out with grounds keeping as "overseas players" in local Cricket clubs. They come from SriLanka, Aus, S.Africa, W.Indies etc That seems to be an excellent way of seeing a bit of the world, experienceing different playing conditions, getting expereince in coaching etc and maybe taking a language course as well.
I guess it all depends on so many things, the desire of the young person to take part in such an exchange being prehaps the largest element. Followed by the organisation behind the exchange and the back up they offer the young person abroad and away from family.


Sarah

[podzol]

My folks hoted a troubled Bavarian exchange student. He was shifted from American home to American home until my folks took him in. It was kind of sad. At first he did have a rough time adjusting, his folks sent him off and promptly initiates the divorce procedure (a bad call, in my assessment).

Tony ended up doing quite well, mking lots of friends, improvig his Englih skills dramatically. he still corresponds with my folks.

So, the take home lesson, which it sounds as if you are tuned in on, is the kids readiness and home-base stability.

Students from our rural town in northern MI exchanged to China, Belgium, Prtugal, and Brazil. All thrived and had positive life changing experiences.

I think it's great! I have never gone over seas and for the first time I get to go to Spain with the orchestra I play in. It is this spring break. I am incredibly excited!!

[ThisGuyIKnow]

At my high school the forgein exchange this was handled by the Rotary club, I don't know if they do that everywhere but it's worth looking into. Althogh it seems that the foreign exchange thing is mostly incoming and not outgoing. The thing is when kids came here from Europe for many of them the year didnt' even count toward their education back home.

But try the local rotary club.

[VersatileWhale]

I did a national student exchange to the east coast for a semester. It was OK, nothing extremely different or notable, even though I didn't leave the country. That said, I did mature a lot faster through the experience. I left all my lifelong friends and had to adapt to a new home and make new friends. It was also good opportunity to visit a different part of the country. No really big cultural impacts though.