alone abroad (exchange)

[Grace]

mhhh ... well, in germany we have the opportunity to spend a year abroad (the whole grade 11)

and i really really wanna spend a year in england. i don't care where to spend it. ... i just wanna go there. i'm fascinated by that country and i'd love to be alone for a years and far away from home (i just wanna be on my own for some time).

the thing is that my parents prolly won't allow me to go on that exchange, since it's freakin expensive .... but ... how can i convince them of letting my go?
i'm at the end of grade 9 ... so ... it's in about one year and the only chance for me to have that experience!

do you already have some experiences with exchanges?

[marianatsl]

yeah!!
i went on an exchange program for 5 months in canada in 2002, and went to spain for 6 months in 2004. but it wasnt exactely exchange program coz i was with my parents...

Its awwwwsome... the experience of being able to live away from your parents, meet new ppl, learn about their coultures and all...

I think u should try and talk with your parents, show them that it would be a well spent money, and that its a good experience ud go through... u could improve your english (not that i think u need, but u can use that as a reason), meet new people, new places, a whole new culture.
Show them that this will make a diference to u, and that ure not only going for the fun of it...

[Petit Prince]

I always wanted to do this, but my parents didnt allow me to go either. Dunno, maybe you'll be able to convince them.... obviously I wasn't, that's why I'm going there this summer. If your parents dont allow you to go for it's to expensive, you might have to wait until you leave school and work there before you go to Uni. I cant help you much, sorry.

My best friend has been to Brazil and she had a brilliant time there. I wasn't even that expensive (apart from the flight). If you live in a family and if you dont go to a private school, it's less expensive.

[Grace]

yeah, that's what i planned to do ... i wanted to live with a host family ... the thing is that i don't have any relatives there

one of my sister's friends went to america for a years and lived there with her aunt ... which is much cheaper of course ... :(

[Petit Prince]

Of course, most people dont have any relatives in the country where they are going. You have to get in touch with some exchange organisation, I suppose.

[marianatsl]

i stayed with a host family in canada!! its better than staying in dorms or living alone, coz u can see just how the ppl live!!

your friend came to brazil sally? cool!! whereabouts?
brazil is uber cheap compared to europe and north america... but i dont think portuguese is a very useful language, but i think we have a pretty rich culture... maybe for u, who already live in europe, it would be interesting to see something else...

[Grace]

yeah, of course brazil would be interesting but i can't speak portuguese at all (just a little spanish) and i just loooove the english culture and it would be a great chance to go there ...

[marianatsl]

i know what u mean... i love england too!
im going there in december but just for fun... but id really like to go there for my post grad!!

[Petit Prince]

your friend came to brazil sally? cool!! whereabouts?
brazil is uber cheap compared to europe and north america... but i dont think portuguese is a very useful language, but i think we have a pretty rich culture... maybe for u, who already live in europe, it would be interesting to see something else...

Ribeirão Preto

She already could speak Portuguese when she went there for her mother is from Portugal. Otherwise it would have been pretty difficult for her, I suppose.

[Petit Prince]

i know what u mean... i love england too!
im going there in december but just for fun... but id really like to go there for my post grad!!

Where are going?

I'll go there from July till October this summer. I have so much time till Uni starts...

[marianatsl]

oh, that really makes everything way easier, coz portuguese is way too hard... (though german is crazy hard for me).
i have a friend from there, but never been... brazil is way too big!!

[marianatsl]

well, im going to london, obviously, and then me and my friend r going to travel around, but im not sure where, coz shes the one that knows all the ppl whos houses we r staying...

i wanted to go south, so that i could see my ex... but i dont know if that will happen or not...

where r u going?

[Petit Prince]

oh, that really makes everything way easier, coz portuguese is way too hard... (though german is crazy hard for me).
i have a friend from there, but never been... brazil is way too big!!

German is very hard to learn, there are people in our country, who have gone to school for nine years in our country and you still hear that German isn't their native language.

Dunno about Portugese, sounds a bit like Spanish to me, which I'm learning at the moment... it's pretty difficult to learn in my opinion.

[Petit Prince]

well, im going to london, obviously, and then me and my friend r going to travel around, but im not sure where, coz shes the one that knows all the ppl whos houses we r staying...

i wanted to go south, so that i could see my ex... but i dont know if that will happen or not...

where r u going?

Nice, I love London!

Oh I understand, so did you live there or did your ex-boyfriend live in Brazil?

I'm going to Liverpool.

[marianatsl]

he didnt live here, but he came here for a while... thtas how we met...
he studied with my cousin in school... my cousin went to england for his exchange program and now he lives there coz he is studying chemistry in oxford...

he went to germany for a month last summer for an internship or something...

[Petit Prince]

he didnt live here, but he came here for a while... thtas how we met...
he studied with my cousin in school... my cousin went to england for his exchange program and now he lives there coz he is studying chemistry in oxford...

he went to germany for a month last summer for an internship or something...

Must be really hard if you fall in love with someone, who cant stay in your country for long. :embarassed:

However, good luck that you can meet when you're in England.

Weird, lots of people are coming to Germany, but no exchange student ever wants to come to Switzerland.

[marianatsl]

i had a friend that spent a month is switz, studying french!!

my other option for post grad other than england is switzerland!!
:)

[Grace]

i like switzerland but it's a little too similar to germany ... lol ...
but i'd like to go there on holiday ... :)

[Petit Prince]

Alright, I think it's a bit different in the French part of our country, Geneva is a very international town for example. It's a bit different in my area, I kinda understand it though, because not even German people are able to understand us. (Or at least most of them aren't) So it probably ain't the best place to go for foreigners, who just wanna study here for a year or so.

Where do you want to go (if you go to Switzerland)?

[Grace]

Zürich :) definitely ... i wanna see the Lake Zürich ... :D i heard kimi räikkönen lives there ... he he :D

[marianatsl]

think the name of the town is bluche... or something like it...
theres a hotel management school there, Les Roches...

[Petit Prince]

Zürich :) definitely ... i wanna see the Lake Zürich ... :D i heard kimi räikkönen lives there ... he he :D

:D So you wanna meet him? :P Many F1 drivers are living in Switzerland, weird.

Anyway, nice town. My ex-boyfriend lives there, so I used to spend much time there.

You'd better come to Basel though, it's such a nice town!

[Petit Prince]

think the name of the town is bluche... or something like it...
theres a hotel management school there, Les Roches...

Ok, I dont think I've ever been there.

[Oenona]

that's great!
I wish I could spend some time abroad and I'd choose England if I'd have the chance, like you but I haven't done it yet. Anyway, you've one year for trying to convince your parents... I mean, you still have time, try to make a deal with them or sth like that. You could say them you don't wanna spend too much time there (I know, it'd be just a little lie), tell them what you feel... it'll be a new experience for you, you'll learn really good another language and will see another kind of life and then, when you come back, you'll value much more what you already have there. This is one of those things that you do when you're young, or then, you'll never do it. Don't miss the chance...

[Ted]

I spent one week in Germany with an exchange family and it was excellent for improving my German because you couldn't hide!!! I recommend it! I do not think I am quite ready for a whole year yet but I will when I go to uni. Not long now...

[Petit Prince]

I wish I could spend some time abroad and I'd choose England if I'd have the chance.

Me too, I wanted to go there during grammar school, but my parents didnt allow me to go. I might go there as an exchange student in a few years, dunno.

[maiu]

and i really really wanna spend a year in england. i don't care where to spend it. ... i just wanna go there. i'm fascinated by that country and i'd love to be alone for a years and far away from home (i just wanna be on my own for some time).




I'm obsessed with England too, I wanna go there sooo bad. Spending time on our own sounds nice,doesn't it?

Maybe we can go together

[Jenjie]

When I was in Year 9, I spent a week in France with a host family. It was kind of cool as you really had to speak French to get by.
It was arranged by our school, and they had a school in France that they exchanged with. It was timed so that we spent a weekend with them and the had a couple of days in school, and then we went out on trips for the other couple of days. It was nice because you were able to meet up with people you know form england so you weren't too isolated.

Later on, I went a couple of times to stay with a friend in Germany. We'd met on holiday in Majora. that was fun too because there was no school involved!! and I also had to get by on my own speaking German.

[tilolas]

Alright, I think it's a bit different in the French part of our country, Geneva is a very international town for example. It's a bit different in my area, I kinda understand it though, because not even German people are able to understand us. (Or at least most of them aren't) So it probably ain't the best place to go for foreigners, who just wanna study here for a year or so.

Where do you want to go (if you go to Switzerland)?

well, sometimes it looks like 2 different countries... I lived in both parts and I can tell you that there are a lot of differences...

[tilolas]

Zürich :) definitely ... i wanna see the Lake Zürich ... :D i heard kimi räikkönen lives there ... he he :D


Zurich it's a great city, one of my favourites I must say... but the lake... there are more beautiful lakes in switzerland than that one...

[Gitta Rensolo]

I ahve never had an exchange abroad....and I actually i don't know which country I would choose....USA and maybe Australia are too far away....I would get homesick i think.....
Although I have friends in Australia!

I have to say one thing....I know many people won't understand this now:

But England or UK or however would be one of the last countries I want to go....
I thought about this quite long on...erm...saturday....
it's one of the countries I don't feel "attracted" to....everything seems to be weird over there....I can't tell you why....
for example the food.....I ahve been in a project called "British food"....we cooked it and ate it....and I didn't really like any of these things....

Ok.....exception: Music....

I like a lot British groups....
But this could be coincidence..:lol:

[tilolas]

interesting theory... ;)

[Gitta Rensolo]

interesting theory... ;)

Haha...what?That the music thing could be coincidence?

[tilolas]

no, everything... the food, music... and you forgot the weather... :P

[Gitta Rensolo]

Oh yes the weather.....although here in Germany we don't have the best weather but still better than there....
well...but it's true....I can't understand why so many people love this country....

for example the thing with hooligans and drunk people...makes this country not interesting for me...

[tilolas]

well, hooligans and drunk people are everywhere anyway... switzerland seems the most peacefull country in the world and there was violence in the end of a football match last saturday...

I think Irish people are very interesting... a few years ago I met some and I love their sense of humour and how they enjoy life...

[Gitta Rensolo]

Of course there are hooligans everywhere..in germany are also hooligans of course...
Ireland is also a country I'm not really interested in...actually I can't even say which country i would be interested in...

[tilolas]

not even Portugal!!??

[Gitta Rensolo]

Hehe.....I've never been there...but the people seem to be very nice:wink:

I haven't been to many countries....just Bulgaria (didn't like it that much),netherlands,austria,France.....that's it...oh and Belgium...

Actually Australia would be great.....if it wasn't that far awa.y...people there fascinate me....mman they are great....their sense of humour rockz....and they're so easy going...

[tilolas]

you would love Portugal!!! (not saying it cause I'm portuguese) people are really friendly, and in my opinion we have an interesting culture and history...

well, I agree with australians being easy-going, but I don't think they have a great humour... british are better...

[Gitta Rensolo]

Hehe ok.....I think I saw sense of humour more as being easy going and open minded....

When they were here we had great days.....some of the funniest evenings...they were not like many germans for example...who are not that easy going...
I could more identify with them...

Maybe I like germany too much.....I really like my country...and I think people here are cool.....although they are seen as serious guys...

[tilolas]

heheheh!!! it's good that you like your country!!!! I think germans are cool too... the country... I've only been to stuttgart once and it was very quick, so I can't tell much...

[Gitta Rensolo]

Well......the area where I live is really interesting for tourists....esepcially for the ones who enjoy a beautiful countryside....not for young people they would see it as boring...so maybe not that good for an exchange...

But german cities are very nice....I haven't been to many...just to Köln and München....to name the big cities....and those cities are beautiful...and the others aswell....

[tilolas]

yeahhh, I'm wanting to visit München for a while now... but didn't had the chance yet... well, now with the moving will be even more difficult...

[Gitta Rensolo]

Oh yes...München can't be that far away from you....
I have been there maybe 10 years ago...we watched a football game...
but we only have been there for one weekend...way too short...

[tilolas]

I think it's 2 hours from here... for sure I'm closer than you...

[Gitta Rensolo]

haha...yeah....I think we needed 6 hours to get there...

[Oenona]

Me too, I wanted to go there during grammar school, but my parents didnt allow me to go. I might go there as an exchange student in a few years, dunno.


oh, Sally... really?! :)
have you thought about that seriously?

[Petit Prince]

oh, Sally... really?! :)
have you thought about that seriously?

I did, but but when I told my parents that I wanna it, they said that it's so expensive and that I'm too young anyway. I dont think so, but I wasnt the one to decide, because it definitely wouldn't have been cheap.

I might go in three years or so dont know, depends on my situation here, I suppose. Right now, I wouldn't mind to leave. I mean, I'm going away for three monthzs, but I wouldnt care if it was a year or so... I really wouldnt. There's lots of people I like here, but most of them are leaving this place for they're going to Uni somewhere else or just spending a year abroad.

My parents dont want me to leave this place, because studying in another Swiss town is a lot more expensive, but I dont wanna stay here. I really dislike this place a lot.

[Oenona]

what age did you have when you ask that to them? maybe they were right, partly, I dunno, but now you're older, and as I said, this is one of those things that you have to do when you're young, 'cause in other case, you'll never do it.
Well, I presume that all the exchanges aren't too cheap, but if you've enough money and you wanna do them... nothing should stop you.
If you go abroad for 3months I'm sure that with this time you'll get a clear idea about what really it's being "alone" in another country where people speak in another language different than yours. I have a question: wouldn't you mind to go alone in another country?!
yay, I remember you told me - some time ago - that you didn't like the place where you live, so it'd be pretty good for you to see another kind of life!

[Petit Prince]

I was 17 when I asked them.

Of course I'd mind being alone, everyone would. But it wouldn't be different if I went to a Swiss town where I dont know anyone. Anyway, I think if you work somewhere, or go to school or whatever, you get to know people very soon.

Yeah, I think so. Im actually tired of living here, its also because of my current situation of course. I do like Switzerland, but I dont like my village...

I'm not really worried about my language, I know that my English ain't very good, but I dont have any problems to understand people.

[NederlandseColdplayer]

I'm from Holland and I'm in France now this year. I can tell you that you have to do this!! It's a great experience and like sally said, when you go to a school you'll meet a lot of people in a little time!!

I'm with STS the organisation, it's expensive yeah, but than you've something really good...(sorry for my bad english)

[Oenona]

that's true, everyone would mind... but there're a few people who are much more adventurous than the rest 'cause of their open-mind way of being, so nothing would stop them. <-- and I'd really like to have their energies.
yes, when you're alone you have to meet new people!

well, I don't like villages either. I'm fascinated by the city life... I just see all the disadvantages of living in a village, so in this point, I totally agree with you.

@NederlandseColdplayer: hey, don't worry about your english! you say it's a wonderful experience, please, tell us more!

[Petit Prince]

I dont even think I'm very adventurous, it's just that I wanna move out and I've never liked the place where I live. It's not bad to live here, it's just incredibly boring. There is no big city near this place... just two small towns.

@ NederlandseColdplayer Nice to hear that you have a good time in France! So you're going to school there? That must be really difficult, I think I wouldn't understand a word, French is such a difficult language. :embarassed:

[Anita_sp]

I would really like to go on exchangee! I would be awesome!!!, but I v never had the chance of going and I think taht is now the time to do itt......iits expensivee... buttt, if u wnat to u have to do itt!
Irissss cann I go to urr homee??????!! hahahaha!:laugh3:

[Grace]

I'm obsessed with England too, I wanna go there sooo bad. Spending time on our own sounds nice,doesn't it?

Maybe we can go together
-.... sounds good :)

naaah, i haven't told my parents about that yet ...
i guess i'll discuss it during the summer holidays since they'll be very relaxed then ;)

[Anita_sp]

thats is a good Idea....... hehe,by that ur parenst ll bee clamm, and quite, andd that is the best way to talk with them....:)

[Oenona]

I dont even think I'm very adventurous, it's just that I wanna move out and I've never liked the place where I live. It's not bad to live here, it's just incredibly boring. There is no big city near this place... just two small towns.

Unfortunately, I'm not like that either. :sad:
Oh, I see.. I understand what you mean. In the cities there're much more activities for doing, so if at least you'd have a city near to your village it'd less boring, I guess.


I would really like to go on exchangee! I would be awesome!!!, but I v never had the chance of going and I think taht is now the time to do itt......iits expensivee... buttt, if u wnat to u have to do itt!
Irissss cann I go to urr homee??????!! hahahaha!

yaaay, go to my home Aniiiiii!!! :kiss: :kiss: but maybe it won't be so funny as you'd expect... I think it'd be better to go to a new place where no-one of us would know!!! And England, - I think it's the fav place of almost all the people who have posted here - would be my choice, as well!!!! :nice:

[Anita_sp]

yeepp! I love England, and its the best option! hehehe who want to go with mee ???

[Petit Prince]

True, almost everyone wants to go to England... where exactly would you like to go?

I think you're wrong here, Barcelona is such a beautiful city, absolutely love this place! But I dont think I could study or work there, my Spanish is just too bad. :(

[Petit Prince]

yeepp! I love England, and its the best option! hehehe who want to go with mee ???

I'd love to! Wanna come with me in July?

Btw cute dog in your avi.

[Anita_sp]

of cousde I want to!! hehe, where do u live??? Im from Argentina, itrs soo far awayy........
thanxs! its my dogy Hanna...

[Oenona]

@Ani: I would like to go with you!!! I think it would be a great experience!!! :kiss: :kiss:
okaaay, in July, after my unis exams would be great, Ani and Sally! ;)

@Sally: my dream is... go to London, just a cosmopolitan and lively city, like Barcelona. Where would you like to go exactly?
I dunno why but I've idealized that place. I'd like to stay there several months, like an experience... surely, supposing that I'd have the chance to go there, when I'd come back, I'd value more Barcelona, 'cause I'd have another city for comparing to it.

Spanish is not that hard.. you could do some intensive courses before going here - well, if you're really interested in- , and if you have a grasp of spanish, I think it may be enough. I know a boy from California who came here in Spain 2years ago without having any idea about spanish and now he talks in it absolutely good. He still has an accent.. but it's normal.

oh, I didn't say that I don't like Barcelona, I meant I'd like to have new experiencies in other countries and see other kind of lives.

[Petit Prince]

of cousde I want to!! hehe, where do u live??? Im from Argentina, itrs soo far awayy........
thanxs! its my dogy Hanna...

I live in Switzerland, gonna spend three months in England this summer.

Nice, soo cute!

[Grace]

i'm so jealous ... i wanna spend some time in england to in my summer holidays ... :(

[Petit Prince]

@Ani: I would like to go with you!!! I think it would be a great experience!!! :kiss: :kiss:
okaaay, in July, after my unis exams would be great, Ani and Sally! ;)

@Sally: my dream is... go to London, just a cosmopolitan and lively city, like Barcelona. Where would you like to go exactly?
I dunno why but I've idealized that place. I'd like to stay there several months, like an experience... surely, supposing that I'd have the chance to go there, when I'd come back, I'd value more Barcelona, 'cause I'd have another city for comparing to it.

Spanish is not that hard.. you could do some intensive courses before going here - well, if you're really interested in- , and if you have a grasp of spanish, I think it may be enough. I know a boy from California who came here in Spain 2years ago without having any idea about spanish and now he talks in it absolutely good. He still has an accent.. but it's normal.

oh, I didn't say that I don't like Barcelona, I meant I have

Would be great! ;.)

Not sure... I'm going to Liverpool now. I'd like to go to some town in the North, Manchester would be cool! London is a great city, but it's extremely expensive unfortunately.

I know that you like Barca, didnt mean that! Your absolutely right I should do some course in Spain because Spanish at school doesn't help me much. I didnt have much problems to talk to people when I was there, but I always make many mistake, like wrong verb forms and that kind of stuff. Its no problem as a tourist, but it would be a huge problem to find a job I suppose.

[Petit Prince]

i'm so jealous ... i wanna spend some time in england to in my summer holidays ... :(

Aww, have you ever been there?

Well it aint that expensive if you just wanna spend your holidays there, there are many cheap flight and Germany isn't very far away.

[Grace]

no, i've never been there but ... how am i supposed to do that?

my parents are working all the time and i'm only 15 which means that they won't ever let me go on my own ...

it's impossible :(

i have no clue what to do in my summer holiday ... :cry:

[Oenona]

Would be great! ;.)

Not sure... I'm going to Liverpool now. I'd like to go to some town in the North, Manchester would be cool! London is a great city, but it's extremely expensive unfortunately.

I know that you like Barca, didnt mean that! Your absolutely right I should do some course in Spain because Spanish at school doesn't help me much. I didnt have much problems to talk to people when I was there, but I always make many mistake, like wrong verb forms and that kind of stuff. Its no problem as a tourist, but it would be a huge problem to find a job I suppose.

ohh, the city where the Beatles were from! ;)
well, I think that everything is expensive there - at least comparing to spain -.
yes, those courses would be really useful for you, specially if you do them before going here, 'cause then, once you'll be here, you'll be able to "use" all that you have learnt before. That boy who I mentioned before, had real problems the first six months with the language...
Anyway, it's pretty normal that you make these kind of mistakes... spanish is not your mother tongue! So, before finding a job, you should spend some time for improving it. <-- well, and you could apply that to any other language, I guess.

i'm so jealous ... i wanna spend some time in england to in my summer holidays ... :(

ohhh, me too!!!!! Moreover, the summer time it's the best period for doing that! :D

[Petit Prince]

no, i've never been there but ... how am i supposed to do that?

my parents are working all the time and i'm only 15 which means that they won't ever let me go on my own ...

it's impossible :(

i have no clue what to do in my summer holiday ... :cry:

Dunno, you might go there to do a language course and live in a family or something.

I once did that, I went to France for two weeks because my French is very bad and I needed to improve my French to pass the entrance examination for grammar school. Was nice actually, I had three or four French lessons and I could spend the rest of the day on the beach. Brilliant!

[Grace]

yeah, but it wouldn't take place in my holidays and my school only offers language course exchanges with france ... :dozey:

[Petit Prince]

ohh, the city where the Beatles were from! ;)
well, I think that everything is expensive there - at least comparing to spain -.
yes, those courses would be really useful for you, specially if you do them before going here, 'cause then, once you'll be here, you'll be able to "use" all that you have learnt before. That boy who I mentioned before, had real problems the first six months with the language...
Anyway, it's pretty normal that you make these kind of mistakes... spanish is not your mother tongue! So, before finding a job, you should spend some time for improving it. <-- well, and you could apply that to any other language, I guess.


I know, maybe I can do it one day, would be great!

But I first have to concentrate on my studies when I come back. I hope that at least I can move to another Swiss town. Would be amazing if I could live in Basel again!

[Petit Prince]

yeah, but it wouldn't take place in my holidays and my school only offers language course exchanges with france ... :dozey:

Why not? There are private organsations... I was only there for two weeks for example. That was during my summer holidays as well. I think you could also go for a week or so.

[Grace]

mhhh. ... i'll check that out :)

[Anita_sp]

I really want to go to England but its just a dream for me... now at this time.... cos first its to expensive, and Im to young, andd... I dont know , maybe I should checkk it out too.....
I have family In Italy, so Ill go to Italy next year.... i think.... andd... im so excited! Im gong with my sister, she is 19 and Im 17....