Five Major Benefits of Going Abroad in High School

The intense nature of jam-packed schedules for all you 9th-12th graders can make it hard to see beyond your immediate routine. You probably have a limited amount of time to consider the immense value of opportunities like a trip abroad and travel as you run between classes, extracurriculars, and sports.

However, high school is the best time to explore these options because you want to make sure that you stand out as you get ready to prepare for life beyond high school. You’ll get a chance to continue expanding your cultural competency, gaining real-life context for your language skills and ultimately helping you stand out among millions of high school grads before you look to make the big investment in college.

Is it a bad idea to take a break from routines and get a taste of travel? Isn’t test driving a study abroad experience worth it in the long run if you’re not sure that you want to study abroad?

Here are our five major benefits to going abroad in high school:

1. Make New Friends

We all know that many students go to college unsure and undeclared about what to study in college or do with the rest of their lives, and an experience abroad gives an opportunity to step out and explore an unfamiliar place with friends and fellow classmates. The chance to solidify friendships and create new ones means that there is the best of both worlds. In addition to friendship, a new country means a variety of foods, locals, another language and sense for how you feel traveling abroad.

2. Gain A Fresh Perspective

The best way to learn is to go beyond your textbooks and explore, and there’s no better to do that to have an adventure with experienced educators and travelers. We understand that students learn the most and enjoy the process when they’re out and taking an active role embracing a new culture and society. We facilitate that experience through interactive activities in some of the world’s most famous public spaces (parks, plazas, etc) to have a student-centered focus toward learning language, culture and history within the country and the city.

3. Invest In Your Study Abroad Now

A trip abroad in high school gives a taste of culture shock and gives an authentic snapshot of a new country that will help you give more context for travel and study abroad in order to prioritize it before diving into college academics. When you get to college, we understand that your focus will surround classes, sports, extracurricular activities, and enjoying your experience!

The majority of college students study abroad toward the end of their college experience, and we know that finances and graduation requirements can limit opportunities to study abroad later on in college. If you go abroad in high school, you’ll have an idea of what study abroad could look like for you at less than half the price of a semester of college in most cases. We don’t want you to miss out on a potentially life-changing experience!

4. Test Your Language Skills

High school language classes do a great job of giving you a foundation for the language, but you’ll have to take those tools out of the toolbox at some point! When you take a trip abroad, you’re interacting with the language and seeing the language come to life. You’ll probably realize the value of those conjugation charts and vocabulary lists as you test your skills.

Whether you’re beginner or more advanced in the foreign language, you’ll see first hand that you can use what you know and find creative ways to communicate your ideas. Additionally, you’ll gain a true sense of how the language lives and breathes through people and cultures, and there’s no better way than to get a taste and feel for that language than in person.

When you get to college, you still might not have the clearest idea about what you want from an experience abroad, but you’ll have an idea of how it feels to explore another country. The best part is that you’ll have more confidence and more excitement as you hopefully look to make another leap!

5. Differentiate Yourself

College applications require a letter usually surrounding a topic regarding how individual high students have stood out from their peers, learned a life lesson, or challenged themselves. We know that the college application process continues to get more and more competitive with millions of high school graduates from around the US boasting high GPAs, a multitude of extracurriculars, and a variety of clubs.

How many of those same high school students can boast about taking an immersion trip abroad?

An immersion experience abroad shows a willingness to step out and to take on new challenges. Furthermore, the power of travel and new experiences can create life-long memories and an impact as you take that step after high school as you continue your adventure into adulthood.

Are you ready to start planning an immersion trip abroad? Please Start Planning Your Trip with us so we can get you on your way toward a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Student Immersion Experience in Lima, Peru: Liam Grady

My name is Liam Grady, and as I prepare to graduate from Saint Rose in New York this May (2019), I’d like to give you an idea about how my summer immersion trip to Peru changed my perspective, challenged beliefs/possible biases, and just opened my mind to the beauty that is present throughout the world. I went to Peru as a part of Summer Term and it was a great month for many reasons.

Some of these reasons are the culture, educational classes, and immersion. There was so much information and the experiences I got to be a part of in just one month made me forever grateful.

How My Mentality Toward Language Learning Changed Abroad

A big highlight of my trip was taking classes at EdOdyssey’s partner language school, El Sol, because the language came alive. As someone who took 4 years of high school Spanish and 3 in college I had never really enjoyed Spanish class.

Before I arrived in Peru, I had been studying Spanish for a practical, real-world application as I plan to work in law enforcement on the West Coast. I never really had a huge passion for the Spanish language.  My mentality toward Spanish changed at El Sol because I was constantly feeling engaged and eager to learn.

The teachers there do a terrific job of keeping the classes interesting, albeit they have people of all ages and from all parts of the world. It was truly a rewarding experience going to class Monday-Friday, 9am-1pm every day and really learning and working on my language skills.

Outside of the classroom, I was really able to work on my Spanish. I also really got to see Peruvian’s in their native culture and habits. In my month there, I went to numerous museums, the Andes Mountains, the Amazon Rain Forest, and Peruvian restaurants.

A Look Back at My Experience

I learned how all of these places provided me with an opportunity to speak and listen to Spanish, as well as have some of the best experiences of my life. That, on top of speaking and hanging out with my wonderful Peruvian host mom, Charo, every day, provided me with such an appreciation for Peru, the culture, and the language.

While no one can predict the future, I know that I will be more open and eager to learn about all different types of people and places for the years to come because of the experiences I was lucky enough to have in Peru. I hope to continue to be able to go on trips because my trip was truly life changing!

Definitely don’t miss out on this great opportunity and start your summer term application today!

Eight Must-Have Applications When in China

We all use our smartphones daily and presumably this will be true if you travel to China as well.  There are some applications on your smartphone that you will use frequently in China, and some that you will discover are actually a necessity.  We get into routines and comfortable with applications’ functions, and I had an initial discomfort of learning a number of new apps, but later discovered their great value.

Here are eight apps that you should download and use when in China:

1. WeChat

WeChat is a free application that you will use every single day in China.  It is used for messaging, calling, and even has a social media aspect. It is akin to any other messaging app, with audio and messaging, built-in emojis, and group chat functionality.  I found WeChat to be extremely useful when I was in China, as I was to able to message my friends and even pay for items at stores or at street vendors through the app with QR code technology.  If you have a Chinese bank account, simply link your card to the app and you are ready to easily shop!

2. DiDi

DiDi is the Uber of China.  It is super convenient to order a ride if you do not want to take a taxi or there are no taxis around you.  I found that riding with DiDi was a little better than taxis, since taxis are metered and often more expensive.  The user interface is very similar to Uber, as you can also split rides with other users. Also be prepared to almost always speak to the driver on the phone, the driver will call you to ensure your location and pickup, so be prepared to speak Chinese!  You can alternatively message the driver through the app to ensure a proper pickup and even pay the driver in cash if you prefer to.

3. Ofo & Mobike

Both Ofo and Mobike are very convenient bicycle-sharing applications.  In China, I would walk on the sidewalk, find an Ofo or Mobike, scan the QR code with my phone, and then the bike unlocked and I was ready to ride!  Within the app, there are the fees for riding, but they are very cheap prices, most of the time around fifteen cents for each ride! Of course, you want to be cautious when riding bicycles especially in a foreign country.  In major cities, there are separate bike lanes in the street going in the same direction, but you have to always be cautious of other bikes, mopeds, and bicycles sharing the same lane.

4. Taobao

Taobao is the perfect application for all of your shopping needs.  You can practically find any item that you desire on Taobao, which is also a website.  I have used Taobao to purchase cheap clothing, shoes, and accessories in the past, and the items were shipped right to me!  You can easily have items shipped to any location in China, including your school or university shipping center. It is the best site in China for cheap, online shopping, and you can always find great deals.  However, this may not be the best idea for buying gifts for others, as it depends on what it is you are buying.

5. Ctrip

If you are planning on travelling within China, Ctrip is the application for your travel needs.  Through the app, I compared flight prices from one city to another and purchased my flight tickets.  Through Ctrip, you can also book bus tickets and even hotels. Ctrip is very convenient for purchasing your tickets, and they are usually the cheapest prices out there!

6. Amap

If you are looking for more local commuting routes and updates, consider Amap you Apple or Google Maps.  Well, in China you will most definitely need to find your way to your destination, and Amap is the perfect solution.  With basic functions just like Google maps, you will never get lost if you use this app. I used this app every day in China, as it is also great for providing locations, authentic reviews, and recommendations, in addition to directions.

7. Xiami

Want to listen to music in China?  Xiami is the best application for listening to music and watching music videos.  Think of it as Youtube, along with the functions of Spotify. I love this app because I was able to listen to my favorite English-speaking artists, but also discover new and amazing Chinese artists!

8. Pleco

When in China, you will want to practice your Mandarin.  Pleco is an amazing application for learning new Chinese words, with a focus on self-learning.  You can simply type in an English word, and learn the Chinese character, stroke order of the character, related words, and even sentences using the word!  Additional capabilities include being able to bookmark words you want to save for later, and a built-history that allows you to look back at previous words.  I found this app to be extremely helpful for a daily practice of Chinese and I could even translate from Chinese to English too!

I can say that with the usage of all these applications, my life in China became much easier.  In some ways, it was even easier than life in America, as I was fascinated by the widespread use of QR code technology.  I was amazed at how easier and faster it made daily activities, such as paying for items at checkout and grabbing an Ofo or Mobike.  

For me, there was not a huge adjustment to using these apps, since they all have equivalents that would be used in America for example.  To this day, I still use WeChat and Pleco in America. I love to keep in touch with my friends in China through WeChat and practice Mandarin even more with Pleco.  These are not all of the applications you will find yourself downloading in China, but these are eight essentials, making for an easy transition to life in China!

Interested in learning more about life in China? Check out my Five Customs You Should Know When in Public in China!

Four Gestures in China to Avoid

When in China, there are certain gestures in everyday life that can be misinterpreted.

You want to ensure that you are extra careful when communicating with your hands and your body so you don’t send the wrong message.  There are specific gestures that should be avoided while abroad to show respect to Chinese people and to best connect with them during your time in China.

These are four gestures in China to avoid:

If you use hand movements to express yourself, it can be viewed as being very dramatic and unusual.

1. Excessive Hand Movements

People in China tend to not use their hands a lot when speaking.  If you are a person who often uses your hands when speaking, you want to be extra careful when having a conversation.  When I first moved to China, I simply had to tone this down by keeping my hands closer to my body to not annoy or discomfort anyone.  

In China, one of the go-to gestures when taking photos is making a peace sign with your fingers.

2. Gestures With Certain Fingers

When you are taking photos with others, you generally do not want to put your arms around other people or touch others in any other way.  The solution to this is making cute gestures such as the peace sign, with one hand or even both.

I found myself constantly making the peace sign (facing outward) in photos, and later realized that I rarely done this gesture outside of China.  When taking photos with others, you want to be respectful and do not want to make any obscene hand gestures. Two gestures in particular to especially avoid is sticking up only your pinky finger and also sticking your pointer and middle fingers together in photos.

After you become friends, you can hug!

3. No Touchy Exchanges (At First)

You will discover that in China, people are not very touchy when it comes to interactions with others. Especially with strangers or meeting new people, you should not handshake, hug, kiss, or touch them in any way.  Instead slightly nodding your head is a perfect introduction.

The exceptions to this norm are within families and depending on the level of closeness with someone.  When I made some of my closest friends in China, we hugged each other by the end of my time in China before I left and it was fully acceptable.  

In public, it is best to not hum music or whistle any tunes because they are both seen as very vulgar gestures.

4. Don’t Ever Wink or Whistle

In China, the gestures of winking and whistling have very negative connotations.  They are aggressive in nature and there is a sexual meaning behind them so it’s best to avoid them.

When you are in China, you’ll want to make sure that you start your friendships and relationships on the right foot.  As you make China your home during your stay, you’ll want to be a great guest to see the best side of this beautiful country.

Curious to learn more about how to interact with other in China?  Check out Five Important Tips When Meeting People in China!

Four Tips For Embracing The Language Learning Journey

When you hear the phrase “language learning”, how many of you think about your past language classes? Have you ever judged your own ability to speak or learn another language based on your grades in those classes?  

I ask you those questions because I can relate to it. In college, I dropped out of a low intermediate class due a high likelihood that I’d fail the course. Nonetheless, I moved to Spain with beginner Spanish and that's when I started to learn to love how I learned Spanish. I listened to fun music in the language, used language learning applications and also searched for information surrounding my interests to enforce grammar and vocabulary learned in class abroad. 

If you’re taking a short trip, or if you’re going to study abroad, you’ll enjoy preparing and practicing your language learning skills ahead of time in a way that's fun for you.   

These are our four tips to embrace your own language learning journey:

1. Listening is Crucial!

The first part of your language-learning journey starts with taking some time to embrace the sounds and the new language. At first, you might feel like the words and phrases are bouncing off you and that’s normal when you start listening to another language!

If you’ve taken language classes in the past, fantastic! You already have some tools in the toolbox, but the biggest part of the journey involves listening because it’s the majority of what we do as human beings.

We actually spend more time during our lives listening than writing, reading, or speaking. According to the University of Missouri, we spend 45% of our lives listening as opposed to 30% speaking, 9% writing and 16% reading. Isn’t that amazing?

2. Find Your Music In Your New Language

To take your listening to the next level, you have to find some good music in your new language. Everyone has their favorite genre of music, and chances are that your music exists in another language! You’ll love the process of language learning if you find songs and artists that grab your attention.

If you search the genre and the name of the language then you’ll be surprised what you find, and don’t be discouraged if the music or song is fast! As you listen to the song more, you’ll go from hearing mainly noise and catching a word or two to understanding phrases and eventually understanding the entire song.

There’s a website called LyricsTraining that allows you to listen to a beginner, intermediate or advanced song that allows you to type the lyrics as you hear them. It was one of my favorite tools when I started learning Spanish!

3. Focus On Your Interests

Beyond only music, you’ll widen your vocabulary in your new language if search for your interests in another language. One of the easiest ways to start embracing a new language is consume content in the target language. If you like sports, you can watch games in the language (if possible), search for news articles or social media posts in the language.

You can find this information easier than you think! For example, on social media, if you search hashtags in the other language then you’ll find a lot of content in the language. 

4. Incorporate Language-Learning Apps Into Your Routine

Free language applications like Duolingo provide a fun, interactive way to track and build your foundation in the target language. They help you start to focus on making the correct sounds and mastering your pronunciation during your free time. Although they start with some basic phrases and vocabulary, they help you master the fundamentals of the language that you can start to use and incorporate.

In the end, we have to integrate our interests and our learning style into our language learning journey. Luckily, we have the internet which has given us more tools than ever to have access to materials in other languages. We also have more access than ever to hear more about experiences surrounding language learning.

Are you interesting in taking your language to the next level before you go abroad? You should definitely check out Consumer Advocate's extensive breakdown of language learning materials here to see which one might fit your needs! 

Three Reasons Why Travel Empowers Women

Guest Feature by Kristen Richards

When you’re standing in the airport, passport in-hand, and ready to embark on a journey abroad, under all the excitement and anticipation are often nerves.

It’s little stressful for just about anyone to take off to a new place and be away from all that’s familiar, but this is especially true for women. But walk right into that discomfort, because there’s a whole new world on the other side.

These are my three reasons why traveling abroad empowers women:

1. There’s Time for Solace

At home, it’s so easy to get roped into a daily routine. Whether you’re working, going to school, or both, it’s hard to juggle all of those commitments, let alone find time for yourself.

I think especially as women, we not only get swept up in our daily routines, but often we try to take care of friends and loved ones around us.  And in doing so, we can lose sight of ourselves.

Aside from having time to experience a new culture and discover a new place, one of the beautiful things about going abroad is you have ample moments to sit back and watch the world go by.

When I had the opportunity to study in Pau, France, one of my favorite things to do was grab my music and take a run down by one of the major rivers in the city. Not only did it help me feel like more of a local, but when I would finish my miles, I would pause my music, close my eyes, and listen to the water rumble.

Having moments for myself were not only enriching, but when I got home I made a point to take that time for me.

2. Strengthen Your Self-Confidence

I think when women talk about wanting to travel or study abroad, it can often be met with others’ anxiety and nerves. In this person’s mind they are only looking out for your personal safety. But while they have no ill-intent, hearing their  fears over and over can be discouraging.

I was nervous when I left for Pau. I barely spoke any French, I had never been away from home for that long, and I had never travelled alone. However, I found that not only was I surrounded by others who were excited to see the world, but many of them like myself were nervous.

With each coffee order, bus ride, and weekend trip, I started to show myself that I could do it. I began to realize that I came to a new country, I was learning a new language, and I was planning and executing successful trips for myself, even though I was away from all that was familiar.

I am certainly not advocating throwing caution to the wind - one should always be aware of their surroundings whether abroad or home - but the trips I was able to take with my female friends were among the best. Helping each other through inevitable mishaps because things didn’t go as planned not only helped us learn we could rely on each other, but ultimately that we could rely on ourselves.

Whether you take a short trip abroad or study abroad, you see that these experiences bring curious and adventurous individuals together which not only makes for great memories but life-long friends

3. You Face and Conquer Challenges Along the Way

Even the best laid plans are going to change. It’s going to rain when it was supposed to be sunny. The bus is going to arrive late. The museum you wanted to go to has a four-hour wait. Unforeseen mishaps are going to happen. And that’s okay.

Travel is going to teach you to roll with what’s happening even when you’re out of your element.

Ultimately, whether you were finally able to order your coffee correctly or come up with a new plan on the fly after a booking cancellation, you’ll prove to yourself time and time again that you can do whatever life throws at you. And that’s something you’ll always carry with you.

There’s endless amounts of opportunities to explore and there’s no better time than now. My travels and long-term study abroad experience have not only allowed me to discover other countries and cultures, but have taught me about myself and ultimately made me a better, more confident woman at home and abroad.

Ready to take that next step? Start planning your program with EdOdyssey today!