Exchange student in Argentina?

Foreign exchange program...?

• So I have always wanted to leave my country and see other places, and I thought a good way to do that would be through a student exchange. I'm a junior in high school now. Is it too late for me to sign up? How far in advance to you have to sign up? If I did go I would probably like to go to Spain or England or Argentina, probably only for a semester. I am currently in Spanish 3 so I think it would be cool to get to go somewhere where I could use it and learn more. Also, if you have ever gone on a student exchange, what was it like and where did you go? How was your host family. Also, I know the three big exchange programs are YFU Rosary and I think AFS. Do you know of any others? Is there anything I could do about homesickness? What if I don't like the family I'm staying with? Has anyone had a bad experience with a student exchange? Any stories you have would be great. I love stories :)

• Answer:

  Probably too late to do it in high school. You might be able to get into a summer program. There's always "13th year", where you graduate, and take another year of HS on the program. Or you can do a year in University (don't bother with a semester...you're just getting into it when you have to go home!) List of all the best programs: http://www.csiet.org/ YFU, ATAD, and AFS will all get you a different family if you are uncomfortable. They screen their hosts very carefully. Homesickness? STAY BUSY. It is an accepted FACT that, at about two months or so, you'll begin to become very homesick. (some people are different, but...it's to be expected). KEEP BUSY, and you won't have time to notice it. The only BAD experience I can give you...actually, a couple. One was a friend of ours who hosted a girl who was just the worst snob, EVER. NOTHING could please this girl. She was moved two or three times, and then went home. Another was a very rich girl who was housed in a very normal, middle class family, and she absolutely FREAKED when told she had to make her own bed!!! She lasted about three weeks, and went home crying. The third was a little girl that asked me, as her teacher, to write a recommendation for her to go on the program, which I did, gladly, then found out that she missed home so much, got with an abusive boyfriend in Belgium (or someplace like that) and then developed anorexia. I felt sooooo guilty!!! I just didn't know her well enough to know she wasn't mature enough to handle it! Success stories: A friend who hosted a girl from our sister city, then lived with her for a year, then the younger brothers both did it, then the families came and went to visit. They became one big, extended family! I have a friend who is a language teacher: similarly, she has hosted her "sister's" children. Her children have lived there...they have been to each other's children's weddings...again...totally extended family. I, myself, went during university. It's a different experience. You're much more independent (and have to be stronger). I'm still getting re-connected (through facebook and the like) with some of my old roommates and friends from that experience.