madteaparty Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Would love to hear from you if you have! Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 How long of a program do you want, and what language? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Also, as someone who did a study abroad program in high school, I would only encourage such a thing under very very special circumstances... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 How long of a program do you want, and what language? French, one semester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Wow. I would never do that to a middle schooler. Study abroad programs are emotionally taxing and require a huge level of maturity. I might (maybe) have a middle schooler stay with a relative abroad for that long, or have a middle schooler go for a few weeks. I wanted to be an exchange student beginning in 3rd grade. I did all my research on my own. I earned a scholarship. I was super motivated. And my year was very very very hard (but good, too). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 Wow. I would never do that to a middle schooler. Study abroad programs are emotionally taxing and require a huge level of maturity. We are clearly worse parents :) I am not ruling out myself going along, that is the default plan. My question is purely technical, actually. These programs exist (local middle schools have them) and I was simply asking if anyone had made a survey, that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I just wanted to bring up my hesitations because it seemed many people had no idea how much work a foreign exchange was. When I got back from living with a new family in a new country for a year, mastering a new language, dealing with all sorts of cultural issues, people would say, "Did you have a good trip?" I know 4-H runs some summer long exchanges for younger kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I'm also interested in this. I would love for the boys to go abroad when they are 10ish, with or without me. Its definitely something I'm keeping an eye out for in a few years. I have recently began to consider a boarding school in a Foreign Country. The boys want to go to Japan, but the way that my moms health is going, I won't be able to take them over seas. There is an elite boarding school in Japan that I'm considering. I don't know if I'd actually have the guts when that day comes, but I am definitely trying to learn more and keep an open mind. There are language schools that offer classes for 1wk - several months also. The whole point is to teach the language, so that might be an option if you are more interested in language experiences than academic/cultural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 PS: I've began looking at International Schools--sometimes they are associated with a sister school in another country. I'm still reading and learning about them, but you might want to look for international schools in your area. They would know more about taking/sending students to different countries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yinanyinu Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 What about a residential summer camp in a foreign country? I don't know how the costs compare to a semester studying abroad, but it would still give a middle-schooler the immersion experience, and you would have the option of shorter time-frames (2 weeks, for example). DS went to a two-week camp in France when he was 9, and loved it. We were lucky to have a friend living nearby who introduced us to it, so that took the guesswork out of finding a camp. He had a good time doing all the usual camp things and was in total French immersion, which is what I wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 There are language schools that offer classes for 1wk - several months also. The whole point is to teach the language, so that might be an option if you are more interested in language experiences than academic/cultural. Yes. We did one for one week last summer. Frankly it is only immersion for the time you are in class (3 hours a day). We could not find local kids to play with or whatever (we went from rural America to rural France, LOL). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twolittleboys Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I also would hesitate sending a middle schooler on his/her own on such a long exchange. A group exchange for a couple of weeks - sure. With me - of course. But it would be the very rare child I would let go at such a young age. I also did an exchange year during junior year in high school. I also had wanted to do this very much, was extremely motivated, and overall really loved it. But it is HARD. Much harder than most people expect. I actually stayed at boarding school which has advantages (no problems with host family) and disadvantages (no host family). I would love for my kids to do an exchange year but honestly probably not before tenth grade at the earliest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 A few more questions to think through as your family researches this big and exciting possibility: How motivated and eager to study abroad is the student? (I think that it key to succeeding with any study abroad program, and even more crucial for a younger student.) How much does the student *want* to live away from family and home and the familiar? (i.e., does the s How responsible, motivated, and self-disciplined is the student about learning new things? How mature is the student, esp. in handling situations that are new, or if treated brusquely? Is the student prepared for living in a less "huggy-feely" culture? Or is that delicate emotional state of middle school the right time to be able to handle this difference? (Of course, everyone's experience will be different, so, take this with a grain of salt, BUT… I'm thinking of a friend who studied in France for her senior year of high school, and the first experience she related, which must have hit her hard, was how her host family father ridiculed and derided her French accent; it was "just his way" of trying to get her to focus on the importance of pronunciation, but she took it hard and felt uncomfortable speaking in his presence after that, and of course, that did not foster a close host family feeling in her towards him.) How comfortable is the student with the idea of immersion -- not just learning the foreign language by living in a foreign country, but also learning the math, grammar, history, and science courses in a foreign language? How independent is the student now in being out and away from home? (i.e., does the student have regular commitments? is the student comfortable with using public transportation solo? does the student know how to handle situations that may unexpectedly arise while out on their own?) And for you: What would be the "early exit" plan if the student is hating the experience, or there is unexpected situation or health issue? In what ways will you be able to support the student long-distance? (very likely at some point there the student will be very homesick, and will also feel very overwhelmed by living in the new culture; what can you have in place -- example: regular Skype call time -- to be able to help your student over the hump -- or be able to assess if sticking it out or coming home early is best for the student) What can you do prepare for and adapt to the very big change there will be in your relationship with your child when the child returns? (example: It can be hard for a teen, to come home after months abroad and of being independent, to not feel some resentment at parents and parental expectations and at having to return to an "old" routine that the teen feels s/he has outgrown.) It's not just the language/culture hurdle they will have to clear, but the emotional and relational aspects of being away from home and being independent/responsible. As I remember from the dark ages of my high school years ;), high school students doing study abroad programs had to be a minimum of 15-16yo, to make sure they had ALL the skills in place (maturity, social/relational, as well as academics) to be able to have a successful experience. BEST of luck as you research and work through this big decision! Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I guess my question was more on the programs versus a referendum on my family readiness, but FWIW, he has lived abroad before without his parents (relatives), has travelled internationally every year since the age of 2 months, and regularly flies unaccompanied (though not internationally yet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twolittleboys Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I guess my question was more on the programs versus a referendum on my family readiness, but FWIW, he has lived abroad before without his parents (relatives), has travelled internationally every year since the age of 2 months, and regularly flies unaccompanied (though not internationally yet). I am sorry if it seems like we are judging/disapproving of your plan. That is not at all my intention (and I don't think anyone else's). I do think living in a different country is a WONDERFUL opportunity. In some ways it is even easier for younger children as they are less set in their ways/more open to a different environment. I actually did consider something like this when my kids were very small. I do know there used to be a programm for kids around 8 or 9 years old but I believe that programme was only within Europe (I am assuming you live in the US?). However, my kids were very little when I considered it though and once they got closer to that age I realized that for us it would not be a possibility. I do think there are kids it can work for, but think they would be the exception. It really depends on so much - how familiar is the child with the language/culture? That really makes a huge difference as it is exhausting to spend all day with a different language and communication problems can make the start very difficult. I do know that exchange students that are highschool age very often change host families. I would imagine this would be a lot more difficult for a younger child. It isn't so much that I think it is a bad idea - it could be a great idea for your family. I think some of us just wanted to point out some things to consider based on our own experiences living alone abroad. It really is not at all like flying alone or travelling internationally (I know you said that your son has lived abroad before which might be a good indication of how he would handle this experience). Spending time abroad as an exchange student is a great opportunity and I wish you all the best if you decide that this is what is best for your child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Wow. I would never do that to a middle schooler. Study abroad programs are emotionally taxing and require a huge level of maturity. We did, and yes, she wanted it. However, it was arranged privately, not through a program, and she stayed with a family who had been friends with dh's family for three generations (although she didn't know them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetIrony Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I studied abroad in HS, but afterwards my host siblings went abroad at a younger age through En Famille. http://enfamilleusa.com/ From their FAQ: "En Famille arranges six month exchanges to France, Spain and Germany for 9 to 16 years old. The two exchange children spend a year together, six months in each child’s home. The rules of our exchange include total language immersion, which produces amazing verbal fluency." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space station Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 We hosted an 11 year old from S. Korea for 3 months one year. It went very well, so I don't see why it wouldn't work the other way around. They didn't yet have the reverse part of the program set up yet, mostly because they couldn't find enough american kids who wanted to learn Korean, but it was a neat experience even just to have her with us that year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Dartmouth has Foriegn exchange summer camp for middle school. My son is saving up his money. Spain, France, and China if I remember right. You go abroad for a three weeks to a month, but two weeks of it is spent at summer camp with a kid from the host family. I'll try to go find the website... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 It is called the Rassias program. Extended stay is twenty days. Here is a link. I think this one is the link to Spain, which is where my son wants to go and thus that is the page he gave for the link. I'm sure with a click or two you could find the French version. http://www.rassias.com/program-ms.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camelfeet Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 What about a residential summer camp in a foreign country? I don't know how the costs compare to a semester studying abroad, but it would still give a middle-schooler the immersion experience, and you would have the option of shorter time-frames (2 weeks, for example). DS went to a two-week camp in France when he was 9, and loved it. We were lucky to have a friend living nearby who introduced us to it, so that took the guesswork out of finding a camp. He had a good time doing all the usual camp things and was in total French immersion, which is what I wanted. What was the camp called, if I may ask? I'm looking into residential summer camps. Or an affordable long term day camp that the kids can go to while I stay nearby. Student exchanges aren't always challenging - I did a student exchange for a year about a month after turning 16, and it wasn't hard. There were periods of homesickness and lots of questionable decisions though. That entire year I spent being awed by the world around me. I remember once walking down the road, after having lived in Brazil for 8 months already and thinking to myself "wow, I'm in Brazil". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 It is called the Rassias program. Extended stay is twenty days. Here is a link. I think this one is the link to Spain, which is where my son wants to go and thus that is the page he gave for the link. I'm sure with a click or two you could find the French version. http://www.rassias.com/program-ms.shtml Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I studied abroad in HS, but afterwards my host siblings went abroad at a younger age through En Famille. http://enfamilleusa.com/ From their FAQ: "En Famille arranges six month exchanges to France, Spain and Germany for 9 to 16 years old. The two exchange children spend a year together, six months in each child’s home. The rules of our exchange include total language immersion, which produces amazing verbal fluency." This is fantastic! Thank you so much! This program looks amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I'm having trouble posting for some reason. Anyway, thanks for these leads. If anyone finds any others then please let us know. I don't know that much about them, but I came across BroadReach which has International Summer camps for kids starting in middle school (but they say ages 13+, so that might not help you if you have younger kids.) Only some of their programs are targeted toward the language immersion experience though. For us, En Familie might be the way to go since they take younger kids and Homeschoolers are welcome to apply. I'll have to see about sending a pair of siblings together on an exchange...Maybe when Pal is 9 and Buddy is 10. That way they can go together....Hmm, so much to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 It is called the Rassias program. Extended stay is twenty days. Here is a link. I think this one is the link to Spain, which is where my son wants to go and thus that is the page he gave for the link. I'm sure with a click or two you could find the French version. http://www.rassias.com/program-ms.shtml So the French program for this is for high school only. Thanks all the same for the link, it's good to know of these programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathmarm Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Well, I assume that program for Middle Schoolers to travel abroad would be, ya know, built around a middle schoolers projected development. This is a cool thing that I never even knew existed. It seems so exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Wow. That En Famille exchange looks pretty freaking amazing. You guys are making me wish I could make this happen... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I was going to come on and mention the enfamille organization - they came through my newsfeed recently. It seems like a really great way to do it with young people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest karenroddy Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 I am a homeschooling mom with three daughters who have all done En Famille exchanges. My girls are now 14, 17 and 18 years old. My girls have never attended school, except when they were in Europe on their exchanges. We live in Northern California. I'm also the rep for En Famille in the US. If you have any questions about the program, or would like me to put you in contact with other homeschooling families who have done exchanges with En Famille, let me know. My email address is: karenroddy@enfamille.com. It really is an amazing program for homeschooled kids.Two of my daughters did exchanges at the same time, which was really neat. My youngest exchanged to France when she was 10 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 I am a homeschooling mom with three daughters who have all done En Famille exchanges. My girls are now 14, 17 and 18 years old. My girls have never attended school, except when they were in Europe on their exchanges. We live in Northern California. I'm also the rep for En Famille in the US. If you have any questions about the program, or would like me to put you in contact with other homeschooling families who have done exchanges with En Famille, let me know. My email address is: karenroddy@enfamille.com. It really is an amazing program for homeschooled kids.Two of my daughters did exchanges at the same time, which was really neat. My youngest exchanged to France when she was 10 years old. Ha, I already emailed you yesterday :) Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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