Greenheart Travel

Author: Ali Haymes

  • 5 Reasons Studying Abroad in High School Will Change Your Life

    5 Reasons Studying Abroad in High School Will Change Your Life

    You are googling high school abroad. You are scrolling through Instagram to see all the inspiring travel photos. You are preparing a powerpoint to easily present this crazy idea to your parents – they may even have said “Yes!!”. You’ve watched all the Youtubers you can and you are ready to go!!  What is stopping you?  In case you need even more inspiration to take that leap – here is a helpful list of the ways you will be forever changed if you do decide to go on a high school abroad program.

    Be part of a select group.

    Did you know only about 1,200 students go on a high school abroad program every year? That is for the entire United States! You will be one of the select few students who actually becomes an exchange student in high school.

    Develop practical language skills.

    There is NO better way to gain fluency in another language. I get asked all the time if it would be better to study abroad in college and don’t get me wrong that is wonderful BUT the problem is you don’t usually get the same level of language and cultural immersion. How you can settle in and learn about the daily life of your host country and how can you have any hope of gaining fluency in the language if you are with international students and speaking English all day.

    Have roots on the other side of the world

    The host family you stay with will be your family for your whole life! How beautiful is that? You essentially become their son/daughter, you do life with them and that is a bond that lasts. Ask anyone who was an exchange student in high school and they will tell you that even into adulthood, they stay in touch with and visit their Host family. Don’t miss out on this opportunity for a sincere connection with a family abroad. Not to mention your local friends.

    Experience being independent

    If you study abroad in High school, there is nothing that will intimidate you. If you can leave your comfort zone and spend three months, a semester, or (eek!) a year of high school abroad. You will become SO much more confident, independent, and mature. It’s amazing and you are learning a million things that you could never learn if you stay home.

    Prepare for the future

    You’ll get much more out of your college years if you study abroad in high school. So many students go to college and have no idea what they want to do. I sure didn’t! Living in another country and seeing another part of the world really helps you understand yourself better and move into your college years with more confidence and clarity.

    I hope this list was helpful. If you are still unsure, I’d be happy to talk discuss the options with you or your parents or you can reach out to past and current participants in our Facebook group. Here is my calendar, find a time that works for you and we’ll talk soon!

  • Meet the Greenheart Travel Team: Jessica Wedge

    Meet the Greenheart Travel Team: Jessica Wedge

    Meet Jessica Wedge, Greenheart Travel’s High School Abroad Advisor!

    Jessica’s first experience abroad was a trip to France with her high school French class. She proudly paid for the whole trip herself through her job at a grocery story. She has been an avid traveler ever since. She went on a study abroad program in college to the Netherlands and France, and upon graduation, she joined the Peace Corps and spent two transformative years in Cote d’Ivoire as a community health volunteer.

    She’s visited so many countries, she’s losing count. She loves biking, cooking, gardening, and spending time with her wonderful friends, husband and two children.

    Read on to learn a bit more about Jessica’s favorite international city, a special travel “aha” moment and what cuisine she would happily eat every day.

    Q: Where did you grow up?

    I grew up in Lansing, Michigan – a solid blue collar auto town. Some famous Lansing-ites besides myself, include Burt Reynolds and Magic Johnson.

    Q: What is your favorite international city?

    I love Paris and have never been able to spend a big enough chunk of time there to get to know it really well. I love the history, culture, food, and I love speaking French!

    Q: What is your secret talent?

    I can play the baritone ukulele fairly well! My favorite tune is “Crazy,” made famous by Patsy Cline but written by Willie Nelson.

    Q: If you could eat only one country’s style of food for the rest of your life, which would it be?

    Definitely Korean food. My husband, kids and I are obsessed with Korean food and can’t wait to go to Korea someday.

    Jess’s daughter, Nina, enjoys some Korean food.

    Q: Complete the sentence: When I grow up I want to __________.

    Be a farmer! I have a big garden and chickens in my backyard in Chicago but I would love to have a legit farm someday.

    Q: What is your spirit animal?

    This is so nerdy but my kids and I are obsessed with birding. We’ve been lucky to spot the scarlet tanager and the northern flicker here in Chicago.  Anyways, I guess my spirit animal would be a goldfinch, such a pretty, sweet, and laid back bird.

    Looking for birds in the forest.

    Q: What is your favorite travel “AHA! moment” or memory?

    That moment when I was living in Cote D’Ivoire and finally was completely fluent in French! It’s an amazing feeling, when you suddenly realize everyone understand you and you understand them!

    Q: What is your favorite thing about working for Greenheart Travel?

    I love working with such smart and nice group of people! I work from home most of the time, so I also really enjoy coming into the office and having someone else make the coffee! 

    Jess’s husband and kids plan their future travel adventures.
  • From Homeschool to High School Abroad

    From Homeschool to High School Abroad

    Students who choose to study abroad in high school experience many positive and well researched benefits. They will gain independence, confidence, hone their language skills, and gain lifelong friendships. It can be intimidating to imagine leaving your comfort zone, but our students tell us over and again how glad they are to have taken this leap!

    From this program I learned a language, traveled to beautiful and historic sites, made great relationships, and really expanded my comfort zone. I feel more prepared for college and making friends after having to do it in a foreign country and language.

    – High School Abroad Student

    high-school-student-and-host-family-australia
    High School Study Abroad student, Clayton, with his host family in Australia.

    We are SO excited to have a growing number of homeschool students enrolling for our high school programs. I am glad to see this, and not only because I am a homeschool mom myself, but because what better complement to a homeschool experience can there be but to study abroad!? Who knows better than a homeschool student, how much there is to be learned when you are free from the confines of a traditional school experience?

    Contrary to popular belief, homeschoolers are not shut-ins, they are engaged participants in the real world who can easily relate to someone outside their grade level. Homeschool students tend to be very self-sufficient and independent. They understand that they are responsible in large part for their own learning. These are all qualities that can be very helpful in being a successful exchange student.

    high-school-students-in-kimonos-japan
    High school students dressed in kimonos in Japan.

    Of course our students do attend school during the program, but especially in countries where the instruction is in another language, you are not expected to perform at the same level as the local students. So, the school component is more about the over-all experience of living the day-to-day life of a teenager in that country.

    One of my favorite homeschool terms is life learning – which to me means personalized, active and interest-led learning from life. High school abroad is one of the best life learning experiences you can find! I definitely hope my own kids study abroad when they are high school age, and I can’t wait for them to discover the world!

  • How the Simple Act of Saving, Rather Than Spending, Can Help You Travel Abroad

    How the Simple Act of Saving, Rather Than Spending, Can Help You Travel Abroad

    My favorite subject in high school was French, and when I learned there was a 10-day trip to France I could join it was all I could think about. It was really rare for people to go anywhere in my hometown of Lansing, MI, and my parents weren’t willing to pay for this trip (although they were super loving and supportive of me going!).

    Instead of giving up, I learned all about the opportunity, the program prices, how much spending money I would need and then spent the next year or so, working and saving EVERY penny! This wasn’t a get-rich-quick job opportunity. I bagged groceries at a store near my house where I walked to work, and built up a network of families that would hire me to babysit.

    Looking back on it, I’m not sure how I juggled my schoolwork and jobs, although it didn’t seem difficult at the time. Maybe when you are working towards something great, you just somehow fit it all in.

    In the end, my hard work paid off and I was able to save enough and got to France.

    Of course, I couldn’t stop traveling after that and I learned from this experience that usually, if you put your mind to something, you can make it happen. It seems like a basic lesson to learn, but what I also took away is if you don’t spend money on things, your savings add up!

    In this case, I always used my savings for an adventure abroad, and travel is much more satisfying than having things.

    I know it is intimidating to consider a study abroad program, or any travel experience, especially when you see the price. I assure you there are many ways to afford this and don’t give up. You are making in investment in your future, in experiences that will help you grow and develop and will offer you countless, happy memories.

    If you can babysit or get a job, awesome! Now, every time you get paid – put it in the bank.  It sounds so simple but seriously, just don’t spend it or spend as little as possible and you will see your account grow and grow. It’s a good feeling and the more you save, the easier it is!

    A second option to help pay for your travels is fundraising. If you plan far enough ahead and try every approach, you will be able to add to your travel savings. You can start a fundraising website, reach out to family/friends, and get creative! Quite a few Greenheart Travel high school students successfully saved money and fundraised for their programs and are also great resources for ideas.

    Here are a few of our participants that made the commitment to travel abroad:

    • Maddy Crowell fundraised her program fee to study in Ireland, by making and selling necklaces.
    • Hannah Patzer worked at the Milwaukee Art Museum to help pay for your study abroad program in Sweden.
    • Jaime Gastelle used her painting skills to crowd source and fund raise for her program in Italy.

    It takes a lot of time and determination to commit to studying abroad, but with enough passion and patience your hard work and discipline will pay off. Every Starbuck’s coffee you don’t buy at home can go toward your savings for travel, and sipping a latte in a new country is always more fun.