Foreign exchange

[Dive]

Has anyone ever participated in an exchange program, whether they hosted a student or were shipped to another country? Earlier this year, I hosted a Japanese foreign exchange student (my city is a sister city with Takaoka). The group consisted of five females (one was a teacher) and two males (one was a city councilman) and were here from March 15-26. It was a wonderful experience learning from these people, as well as teaching them. The exchange students and the host families did various activities together, such as a basketball game, a hockey game (they were really frightened at first because of how physical and rough our hockey team plays), a few museums, and a bunch of other events. It was a wonderful time, and I could not stress enough to participate in an exchange program, whether you're hosting or going on the trip. You learn a lot and you form very strong bonds over a very short time. It is well worth the time and effort.

Here are a few photos that were taken during the adventures:

When they first arrived:

My exchange student, Nanami, and I at a film festival setup by a teacher at the high school setup. The students were bored out of their minds during the films, too (and so were the Americans, haha!)

They performed a Japanese dance for us. From left to right, their names are: Fujita (surname, I don't remember his given name, haha! He was the councilman), Marie, Yuri, Arisa, Nanami, Kazuki, and Yukari (the teacher).

Here's Fujita-san in his traditional robes playing on his traditional flute to some traditional song, haha.

The exchange students a few host students before the semi-formal dance. In a fun turn of events, after tons of persuasion to a bunch of people at the dance, Kazuki and Arisa won best dressed couple.

One last group photo before they left. A lot of tears were shed, but we eventually parted ways. I still keep in contact with all of the students.

Oh yeah, and the day before they left, I totally "got it on" with Kazuki. The girl pulling on him also had a crush on him, haha!

I have a few stories concerning these kids, so if anyone's interested, I'll share them. I didn't want to make this post incredibly long, haha!

[dannydesil]

I'm investigating Paypal as a means to transfer money from UK to Thailand. I've heard some horror stories about things going wrong. I tried to find the exchange rates on the website but maybe I can't see the wood for the trees. Ultimately I would like to compare the various fees against Swift or perhaps Moneybookers.

[BBB Banana]

I never made part of something like that, but in my school there's few people like that with who I'm friends. There's achinese girl from my class and we usually go together to anime cons plus a bunch of friends of mine.

I would like to take part in a foreigner exchange but it will only be possible when I get in college, cause you need to subscibe one year before and I only have one more year in high school.

However I'll be staying at some students houses in Italy during january because I'm part of the comenius project in wich we travel between few schools in Europe.

[Queenofmuffins]

Bump! :3

Yep, My family has hosted Japanese exchange students for the last... lessee... probably about six or seven years? We still keep in contact with a lot of them, and still send Christmas cards out. I've met up with Risa, who we had stay with us in about 2003 or 2004, a few times in Japan. She speaks great English now!
Apparently our short 10 day homestay all those years ago inspired her to go to Uni in Australia.

I've also participated in an "exchange" of sorts as well... I spent all of 2008 at a highschool in Nishio-shi, Aichi-ken. Probably one of the best things I ever did. ^^
It greatly improved my Japanese ability as well!
I went back there this year to see my friends graduate and to catch up with some of the families I stayed with... I don't regret doing it, even though I ended up having to complete highschool a year later than normal. XD

[Charlie]

Thats really interesting Muffs. I have watched a couple videos on youtube of students doing that. One I believe went to Japan for some exchange.

[Queenofmuffins]

Thats really interesting Muffs. I have watched a couple videos on youtube of students doing that. One I believe went to Japan for some exchange.

Haha, you might have seen one of mine then. My friends back home made me a video and uploaded it to youtube so I made one in reply for them. It should still be on there somewhere... ^_^

[saladesu]

Wow, a whole year in Japan! That sounds really nice :3 So you continually changed host families? Or did you just stick with one? (since you mentioned "families")

Coincidentally, exactly a year ago on this date, I was on a plane to Japan... *nostalgia* Just a week, but the exchange was awesome Mine was at a high school in Tokyo. Also hosted a Japanese girl when she visited Singapore for a week in April last year.

[Queenofmuffins]

Wow, a whole year in Japan! That sounds really nice :3 So you continually changed host families? Or did you just stick with one? (since you mentioned "families")

Coincidentally, exactly a year ago on this date, I was on a plane to Japan... *nostalgia* Just a week, but the exchange was awesome Mine was at a high school in Tokyo. Also hosted a Japanese girl when she visited Singapore for a week in April last year.

It was pretty awesome.
I think I stayed with about 10 families all up. Well, there was a rule that we weren't allowed to stay with them longer than a month or something so that's one of the reasons why I had to switch so much. But to be honest, some of the families were really horrible so I didn't mind moving so often, though it did get a bit tiring. I also stayed with some family friends twice while I was there. ^^

I stayed for a month in Tokyo, with a very nice family. We had some troubles though, because I was used to just eating what I liked on my dinnerplate and leaving the rest, and I didn't understand why my host mother got so upset about food... (admittedly I was kinda fussy. XD)
I soon learnt to eat everything on my plate though, which helped prepare me for the rest of the year! :3

My 2nd family was a massive shock though. I moved to Aichi-ken a few weeks before school started and settled in with my new family, who ignored me the entire time. They had three adult children still living at home, and the entire time I was there, the son never spoke a single word to me and the daughters would only speak to me if I basically "forced" them to by trying to hold a conversation with them, which they would end as quickly as possible. I was usually the only one home until about 10 or 11 at night, so consequently I took care of myself. (Which I didn't mind, seeing as I am pretty independant, but it was very lonely).
The parents yelled at me for many things- not taking enough of an interest in their day, for not walking their dogs and cleaning up after them enough, ect. When I was hit by a car on my first day of school, my host mother wouldn't take me to a doctor although my head hurt quite badly. She instead scolded me for telling the woman driving the car that I was fine and don't worry, instead of taking down her insurance information. There were many other things that they did but to be honest, I can't really remember most of them since it was back in 2008. I eventually left after the daughter complained that taking care of me was too tiresome- despite not having a thing to do with me!

My third family was even worse- I was only there for a week though. The daughter used to scream and hit her parents, who did nothing but sit there, smile, and call her cute. She would throw a tantrum if I sat in the front seat after being picked up first and abuse both her mother and I in Japanese for hours on end. I had to share a room with her but she told me that i was only allowed in the room for sleeping. She was in her 20's! she scared me- the exchange program told me a previous student from Australia had complained about the daughter too, but she had to stay with them for 6 months, poor thing. The program wasn't much help- if you had problems, they just told you to "ganbatte". If the family had problems with you, then you were immedietly moved, as the hosts were more important to them.

Don't be put of by my expierences though. Those were just some of the bad ones. I had many wonderful and kind families too, some I stayed with more than once. My last family had three children under 10- ririka, souma, and riri. Although a lot of the time I was babysitting them we had an amazing time- cooking, playing games...
They were some of the kindest people I've ever met, and even took me to do things like wear a kimono or go to a summer festival- things I could never expierence in Australia! I made so many friends and great memories.

The stuff you see alone is worth it. ^^

[saladesu]

Whoa, two ends of the spectrum! o_o Guess that makes for a more memorable experience, for better or for worse

We had some troubles though, because I was used to just eating what I liked on my dinnerplate and leaving the rest, and I didn't understand why my host mother got so upset about food... (admittedly I was kinda fussy. XD)
I soon learnt to eat everything on my plate though, which helped prepare me for the rest of the year! :3

Guess it's just an Asian thing to hate wasting food Though, I had the opposite sort of experience. The first morning in Japan, I woke up to a table covered in food of all sorts (Japanese, Western...) and was told, "I didn't know what would suit your taste, so I just bought a whole lot! Please choose whichever you like :3" Obviously, 3/4 of it ended up getting wasted... D:

My third family was even worse- I was only there for a week though. The daughter used to scream and hit her parents, who did nothing but sit there, smile, and call her cute. She would throw a tantrum if I sat in the front seat after being picked up first and abuse both her mother and I in Japanese for hours on end. I had to share a room with her but she told me that i was only allowed in the room for sleeping. She was in her 20's!

Damn, I thought you were talking about a 3 year old until that last line .__. That's extreme. Did her parents ever teach her manners? It's always said the Japanese have excellent manners but I guess that's a stereotype

My host family sounds a little like your last one Except their kids were older - a 14 year old, Kanako, and a 11 year old, Tomomasa. Kanako mostly had juku (poor Japanese kids going to juku every other day XO) so I mostly spent my time at home playing Jinsei Game (Game of Life) and Mario Kart or watching television with Tomomasa or helping him with homework XD

Nice sakura! I went in the fall so I only got to see the momiji. Too bad my school term clashes with spring so hanami is a no-go :/

[herosshamy]

If you're a high school student in new cultures and are interested in studying overseas, high school foreign exchange programs offer you the opportunity. Be sure that the replacement program is approved by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel. It's good for students.

[steelwingcrash1]

I remember that me and my classmates (first-year high school, 13 years old) once hosted a three-week exchange student in our classroom block. His name was Ace and he came from Australia. I was doing my best of teaching him the Filipino language, forgetting the fact that he, as an Australian, was completely having a hard time. I was so stupid because, of course, he can never learn pronouncing our language with complete ease in just a single day. I was forcing him to when it was almost too tiring of him.

[blai]

I'm going to apply for a semester abroad in Autumn -12 for Japan and are currently studying Japanese, planning to continue it for another two semesters to be able to get a written recommendation from my teacher.

I was also an exchange student in South Africa when I was in my 2nd Gymnasium year and it was the best thing I've ever done. Both hosting a student, and going there myself.

If you ever get the chance to study abroad - take it. Live a little. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't take the chance.

[steelwingcrash1]

If you ever get the chance to study abroad - take it. Live a little. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't take the chance.

I totally agree. People should know how envious I am for people who can get out of their own country and study in other places. To be honest, I have never stepped a single foot nor even leave a trace of my molecules on an airplane or a ship in my whole 21 years of existence.

I believe being an exchange student is an exciting chance for somebody to learn about the cultures of other people. Too bad, I'm no longer a student. I can't participate in one.

Can MA's be taken in other countries, though?

[Queenofmuffins]

I remember that me and my classmates (first-year high school, 13 years old) once hosted a three-week exchange student in our classroom block. His name was Ace and he came from Australia. I was doing my best of teaching him the Filipino language, forgetting the fact that he, as an Australian, was completely having a hard time. I was so stupid because, of course, he can never learn pronouncing our language with complete ease in just a single day. I was forcing him to when it was almost too tiring of him.

Haha, Tagalog is quite tricky... But trust me, he was probably happy someone was trying to teach him some of the language- I know I would've loved someone teaching me some Japanese when I was placed in the classroom for the first time.