Skip to main content

Advice from the experts: students travelers, like you!

Whether you have already applied to go abroad this summer or are still thinking about how to make it happen, we asked some former participants to share their best tips and advice on how to make the most of your summer abroad experience.

Before you go

"I would advise getting to know the country where you are traveling. This helped me with the culture shock. Second, I would suggest trying some authentic food that is prepared in the foreign country. I found a little restaurant in Portland that served Costa Rican food, and I asked the cook about food served regularly in Costa Rica, and he happily gave me lots of information."
-Katie, Homestay with Spanish classes and activities in Costa Rica

"I suggest hosting a student before you go. We had a Spanish student in June and it really gave me an idea of what to expect when I went to Spain in July. Not only did it help to see that despite being homesick at first, our student totally became part of our family by the end of the month, but it also really helped me become aware of little cultural details that I never would have known about from just studying Spanish in school."
-Kevin, Immersion in Spain

Packing and gifts

This student packed a month's worth of belongings into this small duffel bag for her trip to Nicaragua. We were impressed!

"Bring some gifts from home to your host family. Bring something that reflects your home state or region, or some kind of gift that reflects you and your family. I’m from Oregon, so I went to the “Made in Oregon” store and found some great gifts to bring to my host family! They will appreciate the gifts, and they will also spark some great conversations."
-Emily, Homestay with Japanese classes and activities in Fukuoka, Japan

"Don’t over-pack! I definitely overestimated the amount of clothes and toiletries I would need to bring and ended up with a huge and heavy suitcase! You don’t need as much as you think, remember, your host family will most likely have a washer and dryer or some way of doing laundry, so don’t worry!"
-Shelby, Immersion in France

While you’re abroad

"You will probably feel a little homesick when you first arrive, especially if you haven't really been away from home before. But just remember this may be a once in a life time experience so don't let being a little home sick ruin your time abroad. You may never get to study abroad again but you will be back home with your friends and family before you know it. Make friends, study the culture, and explore the city you're in. It will help you feel more at home, and you will definitely enjoy yourself more. Your time abroad will go by faster than you know."
-Carolyn, Immersion in Spain

"Make use of your time wisely. Take advantage of every moment, because it will be more worthwhile. Try to talk to your host family as much as possible, and try to not be alone when you can. This is especially helpful if you are learning a foreign language. This will also help build a relationship with your family that will last for must longer and will make for better memories."
-Lauren, Immersion in France


Ready to start your international adventure with ANDEO? Check out our programs here.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Deborah K. McIntyreNovember 18, 2018 at 10:46 PM

    Let's go for the best duffle bags even if you need to spend some extra money. Surely the best duffle bag will fulfill all your necessaries. Don’t get fooled with someone’s cheap offer. I think not only for travel, but the best duffle bag is also valuable for your summer and winter hunting season, sports event, daily gym time and even for business. If you need good quality and also good looking duffle bag, then you can visit here. I always take mine from here.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Write a Letter to Your Host Family

The letter to your host family is one of the most important pieces of your program abroad application; it’s the host family’s first impression of you. Exchange programs take many factors into account when matching you with a host family, but ultimately it’s up to the host family to decide whether to host you or not.

Here are a few helpful tips to writing a great letter to your future host family:

Use a positive tone. “The main reason a student’s dossier is passed over by families is unintentional negativity,” explains Rebecca Gundle, Program Coordinator for ANDEO International Homestays. A student might be trying to explain her preferences, but when she devotes equal attention to describing her dislikes, she comes across as negative or picky. A family wants to know that the student they host will be adaptable and willing to try new things. Keep your tone upbeat and positive. Go deeper than the application form.Try to avoid simply reiterating what is on the form. This is a chance to ta…
Post a Comment
Read more

Tackling the Dust Bunnies (and other surprising benefits of hosting an exchange student)

By Elizabeth Markleson, host momYou could say I'm a relaxed housekeeper. Our kitchen table is covered with piles of papers "to be dealt with later", our sink is often full of dishes, and you can be sure there is a whole family of dust bunnies living under the furniture. When my kids were little and they would see me go into my cleaning mode, they would always ask, "Who is coming to visit?" Not much changes over the years! When it comes to housework, a guest is a great motivator.

The days were ticking down before our Spanish student arrived and my to-do list was getting longer and longer. “Don’t stress too much about it,” my sister said. “Isn’t your student just supposed to blend into your family as it is? This is an exchange student, not a visiting dignitary, after all.”

True, but I am a strong believer in the power of first impressions. When my daughter went to Spain a few years ago, her host family added some really nice touches to make her feel welcome...like …
2 comments
Read more

From Guest to Family- All in 48 Hours

by Judith, Immersion in France, 2016



The first 48 hours of your time abroad will probably be the most exciting of your entire stay. There is so much to discover, so much to explore, so much you don’t know about…These first two days are filled with emotions: you may be a little anxious and worry that your second language is not good enough. You may be struggling to fit in and overwhelmed by everything new you discover.
As my own day of departure for France drew near, I wondered what my upcoming trip would be like. I wanted to know what it is like to meet a complete stranger. I wanted to know what it would be like to speak French all day long. Most of all, I wanted to know what my host family would be like.I hope to be able to help you answer these questions and ease a bit of your anxiety. What is it like to meet a complete stranger?First of all, you probably won’t be meeting a complete stranger. You’ll be meeting someone you know is interested in getting to know you and your culture. You’…
Post a Comment
Read more