Thursday, June 7, 2012
Should I go to Spain on a trip or as an exchange student?
Should I go to Spain on a trip or as an exchange student?
I want to go to Spain as an exchange student, but now my spanish class if offering a trip to spain this april. I can't decide which to go on. The exchange program would be six months in a school in spain during the first semester of my senior year (of high school). I really want to go, it's a once in a lifetime experience. But at the same time I don't know if I want to miss the first half of my senior year. The exchange program would be about 7500 dollars and the trip with my class would be about 3000. Suggestions? Cause I have absolutely no idea right now.
Studying Abroad - 2 Answers
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1 :
That really depends on your reasons for wanting to go to Spain. Being an exchange student will give you a more "authentic" experience, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in the language and culture of Spain. If you go with your class, you'll spend less time in Spain and have fewer opportunities to meet other people, but you would get more of a guided and touristy experience, which could be a lot of fun. Going with your school or missing half of your senior year aren't your only options, though -- you could also go to Spain on a gap year or on a summer program. If you don't want to wait until after you graduate, AYUSA Study Abroad offers a summer program in Barcelona that is 4 weeks long and you'd live with a host family and a trimester program that would bring you home in time for the winter holidays. They also have some scholarships and fundraising ideas on their website. I would encourage you to really think about why you want to go to Spain, and weigh the pros and cons of each of your options. This decision shouldn't be about the price of the programs, but their value. Good luck!
2 :
Hi! I am a Youth For Understanding (YFU) alumni. Are you currently a junior? YFU offers exchanges during the summer so no school is missed. They also have scholarships that can help cover some of the costs. You would live with a host family for 6 weeks and get to experience life as a native. You just probably need a year of Spanish and a 3.0 GPA. The top scholarship is for a summer trip, the bottom is for a fall semester. The third is for semester, year, or summer. Without a scholarship, the cost is pretty steep. For a semester it would be about $11,695, and a year would be $11,795, and a summer would be$7,595-$9,595. http://yfuusa.org/scholarships/founders-scholarship-28.php http://yfuusa.org/scholarships/presidential-scholarship-29.php http://yfuusa.org/scholarships/temple-krick-41.php Being a exchange student is a once in a life-time experience. Take advantage of it while you can. YFU also offers a GAP year for Spain. Which is a year off from school in Spain. I don't really, know any details but sending an email wouldn't hurt. Hope this helps!
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