HS sophomore looking for summer program in Central America

I have daughter who is a sophmore at Berkeley High School. She is looking for a fun, well organized resident summer program for a couple weeks. She's in Spanish at school, so maybe a program in central america, or a program with a focus on community service. Any ideas? laura

Summer abroad recommendation for 15-year-old

My 15 year old would like to participate in a program abroad this summer where she can use her spanish and French language skills. She's never done this before so would like to be with a group, maybe with a family, work, volunteer etc...She is very resourceful, talented and has much to contribute. Safety is my main concern. I saw a question about AFS on teens network. What does it stand for? thanks, mona

AFS sends students for either a summer or a school year. Unless they've changed things, they do NOT take a student's language preference into account. My brothers both studied German, and spent a year in Italy and Flemish- speaking Belgium, respectively. But it opened worlds to them. One brother came back to major in Engineering and Italian.

Under the best circumstance, AFS interviews both the host families and the students, and matches them pretty well. The student may share a bedroom with a child of the same gender, and goes to school in a school where there is an AFS Club so that they meet other interesting students. The local AFS organization is supposed to organize activities and weekends away in other communities, to see more of the country.

In the worst situation, the student finds themself in a family with no experience with teens, no teen children, no interests in common, and placed in low level classes at school with no support at all. If it's not a good match, the local AFS club is supposed to help them find another home.

Two of my family's AFS students have stayed members of our family. One would have been much happier in another family, and bailed halfway through the year. A friend of mine spent her AFS summer on an island in Sweden on a farm with no one but the family to talk with. Not so great. good luck

Like others who have posted here, I was an AFS student in Switzerland in the Summer of 1974. My sister went to Finland in Summer 1970. We both had wonderful experiences both with our student groups and host families. It would seem there is more control now over where you go and whether you speak the language. In the '70s you agreed to go wherever they sent you. http://www.afs.org/AFSI/
Heather

Teen Summer Travel for Spanish learning and service

I have a son who will turn 16 this spring. We are interested in an abroad teen travel experience that could include language study (Spanish), community service, adventure and fun. If any of you have had a child recently complete such a program, we would be very grateful to learn more about it. He is interested in going to Spain or Latin America. Thanks! Martha

Second, my children (ages 8, 11, 13 & niece 14) and I went to Ayacucho, Peru last summer with Cross Cultural Solutions. We did service work, some Spanish study, and there were weekend travel/adventure opportunities. The volunteer group included several high school students who were on their own on the program. I think they had good experiences with CCS--we certainly did. All of us really liked living and working in Peru. CCS does a good job--I would feel confident sending my kids on their own with CCS when they are old enough.

CCS has programs in many countries; in Latin America, they are in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Peru and Brazil.

www.crossculturalsolutions.org.

I'd be glad to answer other questions. Anne

Spanish summer program abroad for 15-year-old

I have a 15 yo son who is interested in a summer program abroad ( preferably Spain or Costa Rica). He has 3 yrs of high school spanish. I was wondering if anyone has any recomendations. He has never spent an extended time away from home so this would be his first experience. I am particularly interested in what homestays were like and also what the adult supervision was like. I know many of these programs are quite expensive - does anyone know if financial aid is available. Thanks

Cultural Homestay International

Has anyone heard of the Cultural Homestay International organization that arranges language classes/homestays overseas? We too are looking for reputable summer language programs.

I am the director of Language Studies International, an ESL language school in Berkeley and we deal with Cultural Homestay International. They are a very reputable organization which arranges for short and long term school/cultural stays both here and abroad as well as work experience programs. (We provide the ESL teaching portion of the programs for their adult students who then are placed in work experience programs all over the USA). Their head office is in San Anselmo and their director is Gayle Emson 415 459 5397 ex 125.

We have 18 language schools and programs around the world offering language and host accommodation all year (www.lsi.edu)... our school in Frankfurt organizes and sends European high school students to the USA for 1 semester or one academic year through Cultural Homestay International and they have been very pleased;

If you wish more info on CHI (or LSI), feel free to contact me at 841 4695.

Helen