why study abroad and learn another language
preparing for the trip
making reservations and purchasing airline tickets
packing tips
at the airport – departure
at the airport - arrival
general questions and answers
programs for children, teenagers or families who want to study together
Why study abroad and learn another language
You have taken the first steps to expanding your child or teenager’s horizons and learning more about the world they live in. By allowing them to travel abroad at an earlier age, you open the doors to many new ways of thinking, acting and living. This experience will lead to adjustments, personal growth and a far greater understanding of the way of life in other parts of the world. By adopting a sense of adventure, as well as humor, curiosity and patience, your child or teenagers will ease the transition into their new surroundings.
Remember; tell them to be open minded in changing their approach and habits. E.g. learning to play soccer when there is no football, trying new foods, eating dinner at 8 p.m. instead of 6 p.m., and perhaps accepting that meal portions may be smaller or larger than they are used to. Tell them to have a sense of adventure and remember why you are sending them to study aboard in the first place. Let them take it all in and have the time of their life!
Preparing for the trip
PREPARE your child or teen well in advance!
If your child/teen has not flown before, it is a good idea to visit the airport in advance to familiarize your child/teen with the airport scene. Airports are large and busy places, and a preview may ease your child's apprehension and confusion.
Make it a family project to learn about the country they are planning to visit, before they travel. Encourage them to read books, watch films and practice the language. Help your children/teens to think of questions they might ask the staff at the campus or school. Explain to them that they will encounter an unfamiliar environment, with new sounds, food, sights and scents to experience!
Talk to about how they might feel when they come into contact with people whose language
they don't understand, and help them develop a positive attitude and confidence. Have a family conversation about what they will expect and what they are hoping to get out of the trip, new language, new friends, etc. Also prepare them for the things that could go wrong and what they should do, miss a connecting flight, later arrival, getting lost, feeling scared, etc. Perhaps talk to their teacher about taking some work with them or keeping a journal as an assignment.
Set ground rules for curfews and discuss safety concerns that will allow for some independence while still providing limitations.
Making reservations and purchasing airline tickets
Parents are responsible for making their own child/teens airline reservations, purchasing of tickets and all relevant documentation including passports and visas. When booking flights we suggest you make every effort to book your child or teenager on direct flights to the school city with as few stops as possible.
For an example of an airlines policy, visit http://www.nwa.com/services/onboard/minor/faq.shtml
Packing tips
Let your child or teenager do their own packing, with a little help from you and a list to work from. Make sure they take
some comfortable shoes, clothes, and something to entertain them, but put them in charge.
Below is a general guide to what to pack, print it off and it will be a useful checklist!
Some suggestions before they leave
Confirm flight time and tickets - visit the dentist or doctor if you’re planning to be away for awhile - ensure you have a current passport and all visa’s and permits required - vaccinations and certificate, if required - travel insurance - Student ID cards - International Youth Hostel Card - pre paid phone cards can come in useful also.
Personal packing tips
Travel tickets (airline, ferry, train, bus, etc) - map and timetables, if you planning to catch buses, trains - address book, keep contacts of people you meet/e-mail address etc - passport, visas, travelers checks/cash, do not keep the receipt for your travelers' checks together - emergency or spending money, good to have, consider a money belt - cards (Visa/Eurocard/Mastercard/American Express ) remember your PIN code - driving license (if available) - travel journal,
not necessary but nice to keep - phone cards - Phrase books or guide books and a good book, this come in handy if your planning to do a lot of traveling.
Clothes/accessories/personal – boys
Toilet bag, shaving equipment, electric shaver/razors – don’t forget the blades, mirror, toothbrush/toothpaste/soap
shampoo, sun protection, contact lenses/lens cleaning liquid, lip balm, and extra glasses – if you wear them, sun glasses
cotton underwear – easy to wash, small first aid kit, pills and tablets/medication, motion sickness tablets, fever tablets/paracetamol/allergy pills/malaria tablets, shirts/t-shirts – good all round boys wear, shorts – consider the ones with many pockets! , socks – wool is best, pants/trousers, good pair of quality shoes/boots – a pair of cheap flip-flops also handy.
Hot climates- cap/hat, tracksuit, light raincoat, umbrella, swimming trunks, beach pants.
Cold climates – scarf, knitted cap, sweater, gloves/mittens, jacket, long underwear.
Clothes/accessories/personal – girls
Toilet bag, shaving equipment, electric shaver/razors – don’t forget the blades, mirror, toothbrush/toothpaste/soap
shampoo, sun protection, contact lenses/lens cleaning liquid, lip balm, and extra glasses – if you wear them, sun glasses
cotton underwear – easy to wash, small first aid kit, pills and tablets/medication, motion sickness tablets, fever tablets/paracetamol/allergy pills/malaria tablets, cotton underwear/bra - easy to wash, supply of pills, skirts/wrap a rounds – however it is important to remember that in some countries the length of the skirt and material (semi-see-through) could get you into trouble. also in some countries women are forbidden to wear shorts. check first before
travelling.
Hot climates- cap/hat, track-suit, light raincoat, umbrella, bikini, swimsuit, beach pants sarong or light scarf.
Cold climates – scarf, knitted cap, sweater, gloves/mittens, jacket, warm underwear.
General stuff to pack
Backpacks – do not go for cheap ones and buy a rain cover, wet clothes are nasty! Small extra (Knap sack) – comes in useful as an extra bag when doing small trips/walks, Plastic bags - Excellent to put stuff in, including dirty clothes. Suitcase – if your not backpacking! Padlocks for both the backpack and suitcase or flexible steel cable (or chain). Earplugs, a good towel, Swiss army knife – very useful, Camera and film, Wall socket adapter, Alarm clock, Hair dryer/travel Iron.
At the airport – departure
Traveling "alone" can be an exciting and safe experience for a young person, however prepare your child or teen well in advance for situations they may encounter. Provide your child/teen with reading materials, video games and healthy snacks so they can be occupied during the flight.
Safety: Instruct your child to never leave the airplane or airport alone or with another passenger and to ask the airline's personnel for assistance whenever necessary. When checking-in you will be asked
to fill out a special form reflecting your child/teen's flight itinerary and noting any special needs. ou must provide the phone numbers for contacts at both the originating and destination airports on this form. Show your child the luggage claim checks and how they match the tags on their luggage.
Carry-on luggage should be minimal and contain the schools name and address. Remind your child/teen that he/she is responsible for keeping track of these items. If something is lost,
he/she must notify the airline personnel immediately.
- airport delays
- make sure baggage is properly tagged at the check-in counter
- what to expect when they arrive in a new country and customs
- they may not know how to equalize the pressure in their ears. Yawning, swallowing and chewing gum can help avoid potentially severe pain. Blocking the nostrils and blowing very gently can also help. If your baby starts crying shortly after take off, this may be the problem. Avoid air travel with very young children who have head colds
- collecting luggage upon arrival
- what to do if they get lost
- introduce your child to the gate agent and let him know that he/she is traveling alone, and if he/she is needing
assistance changing planes
- Important: All parents and guardians must remain at the airport until the flight has departed
- do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas. Do not accept packages from strangers
At the airport – arrival
Upon arrival a school representative will be waiting to meet your child/teen, once they have come through customs in the arrival hall. The school representative will transport them to the school camp or host family. For those students with no pick-up arranged, they will have to make their own way to the school using local transport.
Information and other important details are supplied in their pre-departure pack. Once the student has arrived at their accommodation, they can use the
remainder of the day to relax and unpack, recover from jet lag, become acquainted with their new host family or roommates and settle into their new surroundings.
General questions and answers
Q: What level of language skill do they need to attend a program?
A: We accept all levels from complete beginners to advanced levels. All our programs cater to many different levels of ability, however, complete beginners will start on set beginner start dates. (Please see the price page for your chosen program for the set beginner start dates).
Q: How long is your program and when do the programs start?
A: Our summer programs have start dates throughout the summer only. You can select your stuidents length of stay, usually from a minimum of 2 weeks to 8 weeks. The average length of stay is 4 weeks.
Q: How many students should I expect in a class?
A: Usually our classroom sizes range from 8 to 12 students per class, depending on location.
Q: How will the language be taught and what should they expect in class?
A: We believe that teaching a language cannot be successful solely by routine and repetition but should be creative and communicative. We focus on learning to speak the language by instilling the most effective ways to master correct pronunciation and intonation. Our students learn most effectively in classrooms that are highly communicative and use techniques such as role-play, grammar games and videos to support lesson content. Social and cultural materials are integrated to add interest and increase knowledge of the host country and culture.
Q: How long is a lesson?
A: Typically a lesson lasts between 45 and 50 minutes.
Q: Do they receive a certificate at the end of the program?
A: Yes. Most of our programs offer a "Certificate of Proficiency" and we can also help prepare for internationally-recognized language exams at some of our schools. Please contact us for further details.
Q: What is the most popular accommodation option?
A: We find most students stay with a host family or live on campus in a dorm.
Q: How are your host families chosen?
A: We have specific requirements that our families must meet before they are invited to host our international students. We require that the families live within a reasonable distance from the school, have ample living space for the student, and live in a clean, safe and comfortable environment. We also work with families who enjoy hosting international students. We try to match each student with a family as best we can. The more specific you are on your enrollment form, the better the match.
Q: If I stay with a host family what should I expect?
A: The family will treat you as a guest and you will be expected to obey house rules. All families provide a private or shared room (depending on location) with access to all living areas in the house and a choice of meals. In most cases; students will be expected to share the bathroom. Experience has shown us that living with a family is the most interesting and effective way to become fully immersed in your host country’s language and culture.
Your host family will always do their best to engage you in daily conversation while making you feel as though you are in a "home away from home". Remember your host family will have different customs and habits than perhaps you are accustomed to, and meals will be prepared according to local custom. All host families are within 30 minutes traveling time of the school; the smaller the city, the less time it takes to reach the school.
Q: Do my child/teen have to bring bed linens and towels with them?
A: Please bring towels with you as the host family and dorms do not offer them. Bed linens and pillows will be provided.
Q: What day do they have to leave the accommodation?
A: You have to vacate your accommodation on the Saturday at 12 noon, after your last Friday at school.
Q: If I need to stay an additional night in the accommodation, can I book extra nights?
A: Yes, for an additional charge you can book a few extra nights before or after the course.
Q: What happens outside the classroom?
A: After classes are over for the day, our programs allow plenty of time to discover the host country, culture and customs. Our optional cultural and social activities allow you to make new friends with your classmates, experience cultural activities together and practice your new language skills outside the classroom. A teacher or school representative normally guides a few optional activities per week in the afternoons or evenings.
Many activities are free, some examples are a game of organized soccer in the local park, a walking tour of the city, lectures or guest speakers at the school, workshops, a visit to the local market, movie nights, theme parties etc. In some cases, the daily activities are offered at a small additional fee such as fees to local galleries or events. Some examples could include guided visits to museums, local galleries, theatres, opera, attending a local sporting event, a trip the cinema, places of interest (which have a entrance fee), a trip to a local town and many more. If you are interested in sight-seeing by yourself, our school staff is more than willing to assist you in outlining your local options.
Q: Do the students meet up after class?
A: Yes, this is one of the many great reasons to study abroad; you make new friends from around the world! You will find that many students form friendships and spend a lot of time together outside of classes, it's always more interesting to go sight seeing with a friend. There is so much to do after classes are over for the day. The cultural and excursion options are endless or you can just may just decide to relax and hit the beach or cafe for the afternoon...your choice!
Q: Where do your students come from?
A: From all over the world! Depending on your chosen location, the nationalities will vary but the majority of international students come from North America and Europe. Fewer students come from Latin America and Asia.
Q: Do the schools offer weekend excursions or trips to places of interest?
At the weekend; many students arrange to take our optional excursions to local cities or local places of interest or go on their own. These organized excursions cost between $10-$40 per person as they are normally a full day or weekend excursion with transport, sometimes meals and entrance fees included, depending on the location. All excursions are optional and students can use public transport if they wish, our school staff is more than willing to assist you with travel or excursion options.
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Programs for children, teenagers or families who want to study together
Q: Do you have special programs for children or teenagers?
A: Yes. Most of our programs are designed for teenagers who are between the ages of 6 and 18, who wish to study another
language abroad. Most of these programs are held in the summer at either in a summer camp atmosphere or at a private language school.
Q: I would like to take my younger children with me to study at the school, is this possible?
A: Most of our normal language schools do not allow children under the age of 17 to study at the school, making it difficult for families with younger children to study together. However we have a selected number of school locations who have made special arrangements for younger children who wish to study the language whilst their parents are also studying.
In most cases the child will not study in the same class as their parent/s but will have private lessons at the same
time or spend time in child care. Many of the schools can arrange child care with local baby sitters, kindergartens or even with the host family. Please ask us for further details.
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Below are links to pages that will answer many of your questions & concerns, we recommend you read them!!
General rules & guidelines when on a program abroad!
Your safety & security abroad!
Your most popular questions & answers
Parent Zone
TEENAGER SUMMER PROGRAMS ABROAD - WORLDWIDE!
E-mail: info@teenagersabroad.com
Tel: NORTH AMERICA: 1 800 219 9924
or WORLDWIDE: +1 416 925 2112
