Amanda is a First Time Traveler 2021 Scholarship winner. She is doing our High School Abroad program in Spain for an academic year.
Arriving in Spain
It all started on Sunday, September 19 when I embarked on the journey of my life. I was extremely terrified but excited at the same time to see what my future life in Spain would bring. I arrived in Málaga fo1r my orientation on September 20, 2021. I had gone over 18 hours in flights, and I was extremely jet lagged but extremely happy that I had finally arrived in Málaga. Soon after my arrival the program was constantly picking up more students from the airport. I was amazed to meet students from all over the world! It was so exciting to meet such amazing people and create such international connections when we’re all here to do the same thing. We all travelled from abroad to spend a year or semester in a country that is not our homeland to learn a language and experience a new culture. We were choosing to live our lives and grow into different people. As time went by I became a little homesick, and I knew that missing my family would be normal. However, I was excited to start the new journey in Spain!
Host Family Life
At first I was a bit timid with my host family. I was extremely grateful that they had given me this opportunity to stay in this beautiful town with such wonderful people. After a few months the culture shock slowly went away and I became more comfortable with my family. I have three host brothers which was a bit shocking at the beginning. In my family back home there are more girls than boys. It was an adjustment, but they are all very sweet and I consider them all like a second family to me. I also baked my mom’s chocolate cake for them, which I made with one of my host brothers.
Almost every Sunday we go to the campo where you can find a wide variety of fruit and vegetables grown there. We have big family lunches and stay there usually the whole afternoon. If it’s a bit cold we go inside where we are able to enjoy their warm and cozy fireplace.
During the holidays the whole family gathers together and we usually sing karaoke or play fun games. I got a little homesick around Christmas and New Years’ since I was missing my natural family. I was reminded that this is completely normal, and I was able to be grateful for the opportunity to celebrate this years’ holidays with my host family in Spain.
School Life
School was extremely hard at first because I was still adjusting to both a new home and city. Especially in the beginning I had to push through jet lag to go to school every day. Sometimes school is extremely hard, such as engaging in a classics course where I struggle to understand what the teacher is saying in Spanish. I’m in humanities so along with Latin and Greek I also have history and some other classes such as Philosophy, Lengua, Aleman Touristico, French, and Ampliación de Inglés. My school starts around 8:30 and ends around 3, it is a little shorter than in the U.S which makes it seem like the time goes by faster here, though!
Unfortunately the schools in Spain do not offer school-sponsored clubs. but you can enroll in activities out of school such as a hobby or a sport. Many students love playing sports like futbol (soccer!) on community teams.
Cultural Differences
One cultural difference I’ve noticed is transportation. At home I wouldn’t even think about going on a bus to the nearest city. Here, though, I can just take the bus and I arrive in a city without any issues. I was able to explore a lot of places such as Granada. While there I got to see their famous architecture and Christmas spirit for the Reyes Magos. I also visited Málaga; they have a rich and diverse culture. I was able to visit some really cool vintage stores there, and some other small cities. I can’t wait to explore more places!
Another difference is in food – it is absolutely divine! Along with the famous paella, Spain has another dish extremely popular here called migas. It is like a Tex-Mex breakfast dish. It is so popular here that there is even a festiva in December where people make huge batches of migas and people visit from all over the world to eat it. The best part is that it’s free!
When I visited Mijas (a small town outside of Marbella), we ate at an Argentinian restaurant and I was able to try a famous Argentinian burger which was extremely delicious. If you ever visit Nerja. you can also try the best ice cream I’ve ever had! The town has a stunning seaside view that is only made better when you get some ice cream. Unfortunately, I have not learned how to cook any Spanish food yet. However, I hope to learn before I leave!
Another thing that shocked me was learning that in Spain they eat dinner around 9 P.M.; in the U.S I would normally eat dinner around 5 or 6 in the afternoon. It’s definitely been an adjustment!
What I’m looking forward to the rest of my stay here!
I’m looking forward to getting to explore new places and become more fluent in my Spanish. I also plan to spend quality time with my friends and family before I leave. With the first few months I was still acclimating to all the changes in experiencing a new culture. Now is the prime time to truly dive deeper into the Spanish culture and language since I’ve worked through some of the harder parts of culture shock.
Over time, I began to make a lot of friends and I was able to do things more independently. Things are still hard sometimes but, I know that I can’t give up, because I’m here for a year and I want to make this experience worthwhile. I’ve already made a lot of lifelong friends, and I know that even when I leave I will remain in contact with them no matter what! I still have 4 months left with a lot to learn. I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity and hope you, too, take this journey since it’s a once in a lifetime chance!
If you’re interested in studying abroad in Spain for a Trimester, Semester, or Academic Year, check out our program page HERE. We also offer a teen summer language camp in Salamanca, Spain for those students who can’t accommodate a program during the school year. If you have other questions or comments about studying abroad in Spain, feel free to drop a comment below, too!
A note from Greenheart Travel: Amelia is a high school student who studied abroad during the 2020-2021 school year.
Hi, my name is Amelia and I am an exchange student in Belgium.
I’ve had the chance to travel around the country a little bit on my own and it’s been an interesting experience. The first time I tried to travel by myself, I planned to visit a small town not too far from where I lived. I figured out the bus schedule and I was all ready to go. I was successful in getting myself to the town. Getting home was a different story.
I was unprepared for the amount of bus stops you can fit in a 1 kilometer radius. I knew which bus I was looking for; however I was less sure of which stop I needed to be at. I was soon confused and ran around all the bus stops trying to decipher the timetables. In the end I took the correct bus route…in the wrong direction and ended up in the wrong town. I did eventually get home, although I had to wait around for an hour and a half for the next bus to arrive. This first trip was an outlier, all of my other solo excursions went off without a hitch with the exception of minor travel adjustments due to construction, etc.
One of my favorite trips was to the city of Namur. I went on a Saturday so I got to see the Saturday market set up in the main street of the city. The most popular stands are the fruit and vegetable seller and the flower vendors. In the heart of the city is the Citadel. It dates back to medieval times when the city was under siege. While the interior of the citadel was closed due to COVID all the outdoor areas were open. So I spent a few hours exploring the paths and passageways and lookouts. The day I was there, the city was hosting a 5K run around the citadel so that was fun to watch. But the two best things I saw all day were the giant golden turtle, and the bagpiper. The golden turtle is on the lowest ring of the citadel. I’m not sure why it was there. There was no information about it but it was still pretty cool. At the very top of the citadel is an amphitheater. This is where I found a man practicing his bagpipes right next to a pair of people practicing their kickboxing. It was truly a sight to behold, definitely not a combination I would have expected. It was a wonderful day in a beautiful city. So when you travel in a forgiven country, remember to explore, because sometimes the best things are the little things that just make you smile. Wandering around can lead you to the prettiest views and best memories.
Photo by Olga Subach
My tips for taking day trips are:
Make a general plan; in Belgium a lot of the scenic towns have a town website that will give you a general idea of the things you can see there (example: https://www.namurtourisme.be/en/ ). There will probably be things that you have to register for in advance so that you can get a time slot. I liked planning a few things to go see, and then leaving myself some extra time to explore a little and check out other things that caught my eye.
Make sure your family knows where you are; this is just kind of common sense, especially if you are going by yourself like I did. Also if you don’t know where you want to go, ask your host family for recommendations. They know the country better than you do so they should be able to give you some pointers.
Know you public transport; the bus and train system in Belgium is pretty good…as long as you know how to read the schedules. So learn to read the schedules before your trip, not during. And make sure you have a ticket (if you are on a bus and don’t have a ticket they sometimes kick you off and if you are on a train they will fine you).
Use a map; once again common sense, try to keep a general idea of where you are.
Be aware of your person and your belongings; I tried to stay in areas where I knew there would be bystanders, such as churches, schools, shopping districts, parks. If you aren’t familiar with the area don’t just meander off with no idea of where you are or what kind of things are around you. Also try not to get stuck out at night, it is a lot harder to get home at night since the buses stop, so be aware of your time constraints.
Be polite to people around you
Public transportation workers will help you, just ask. They will let you know about delays, they will tell you which train stops where, if a train is canceled they will let you know which replacement train you can take.
Have some spare change; a lot of public restrooms will change you between .5 and 1 euros. So be prepared to pay to use the bathroom.
Bring other people; it’s not always necessary, but it can be more fun and less stressful if you bring a family member or friend along with you.
So really most of this just comes down to be smart and be aware.
A note from Greenheart Travel: Eva Levin is a high school student from Maine who studied in Finland during the Spring 2021 semester.
By Eva Levin
School life all across the world leaves a very bold mark on the culture of every nation’s youth. The way that we learn in our communities affects our relationships, our free time, and our overall outlook on life. I was lucky enough to get to experience a semester abroad in Tampere, Finland, to conclude the final five months of my freshman year. Having lived in a relatively small town in Maine for the past five and a half years (excluding my time abroad), I was very used to the Northern climate, and a lifestyle with certain aspects influenced by Nordic culture, due to my previous fascination with the region. Because of this, prior to travelling to Finland I faced some concern that the social environment would be similar to that of my own region, just like the physical environment is. However, this notion was far from the truth, which I soon realized upon entering Finland and it’s school system, and getting the chance to become acquainted with Finnish school culture and their communities.
Oftentimes, schools in Finland will have different classes that specialize in different subjects, and take extra classes in their group’s subjects. When I attended Linnainmaan koulu (Linnainmaa’s school) in Tampere, Finland, I was lucky enough to be placed in a music class, (where we’d have more music lessons each week than the average group of students as every student in the class was a musician prior to joining the class), where we’d play a variety of different songs on different instruments. My school would hold events where the students who played music would perform songs in both English and Finnish (many students in Finland are interested in American or English music and pop culture).
Photo courtesy of Eva Levin
In terms of physical education, gym teachers in schools in Finland will utilize the advantage of the cold winter and sometimes excessive amounts of snow. On my first day in Finnish “liikunta” class, or “exercise” class, we got to go out and do cross country skiing across the paths in the back area of the neighborhood that my school was located in. Other activities that students get to do together in the winter time that may not be very common for schools in the U.S., specifically in the southern U.S. where snow can be rare, are outdoor skating and ice hockey with chairs (one person skates and pushes someone in the chair who is holding an ice hockey stick to play against the other sitting students and their partners.) As an exchange student who didn’t know the language well, I particularly enjoyed playing ice hockey, as I got to learn a lot of new words in Finnish about speed and turning, so it was a fun opportunity to communicate in Finnish to use teamwork with a classmate.
Photo courtesy of Eva Levi
Depending on what time of year you choose to travel, you’ll get to experience different strangely lengthened days during your life in Finland. As most of the states in the US (minus parts of Alaska) are too far South to experience the elongated days in the summer and the elongated nights in the winter, going to Finland and seeing daylight for nearly 24 hours (depending on your city) in the summer, or walking to and from school in the dark in the winter may seem like the strangest thing. At the very beginning of my trip in mid-January, I would walk to school in the dark, and by the time I left school, the sun would already have begun setting. By the very end, in mid-June, the sun would officially set around 11:30 at night, but the sky would never truly get dark as it would in the wintertime. Though this aspect to Finnish life may seem very strange to most Americans, or most people from any part of the world, it’s also a really amazing thing to experience. To a foreigner from any country that’s further south, the long nights and long days depending on the season make the days feel special and unique.
There are many small and large aspects to Finnish lifestyle and school culture that will differ from your life as a student in your own country. However, the close communities and well trained, friendly school teachers will make you feel at home in your future community and town. Most students and teachers will likely be accommodating to your language requests in terms of how much Finnish you use or how much English you use, as many people in Finland are proficient in English. However, if it is your goal to learn the Finnish language, don’t be afraid to push yourself to practice Finnish and ask those around you in your host community to speak Finnish with you, as with such a difficult language, the best way to learn it is to speak it as often as possible. Hopefully you’ll be able to recognize some of these fun cultural differences and aspects to Finnish school culture and life on your trip, and discover many more with meaning to you.
A note from Greenheart Travel: Eva Levin is a high school student from Maine who studied in Finland during the Spring 2021 semester.
Eight Things You Should Know: A Guide of Information and Recommendations for American Students Travelling to Finland
By Eva Levin
If you’re an American student who plans on travelling to someplace in Finland, whether it be for a short or a long amount of time, you’re definitely in for some experiences with unexpected differences to life in the U.S.. (Or to your past experiences travelling the world.) These aren’t necessarily bad things, so long as you keep an open mind to the lifestyles and practices of those around you and prepare yourself for a few funny or awkward moments of cultural misunderstanding, you’re going to have a great time learning about Finland and it’s wonderful, unique culture. Below is a list I’ve made of a few key differences between American and Finnish culture, along with a few recommendations or just things to think about. Bear with me, as the list is a bit scattered between the three categories, but you’ll see once you’ve taken your time abroad that organizing all your interesting and funny memories might be a bit chaotic too.
Eva in Finland. Courtesy of Eva Levin.
Recognizing your own familiar pop culture thousands of miles from home
Though there are many distinct films, songs, and shows that come from Finland that are popular amongst Finnish youth, nowadays, it’s very common for Finnish kids and teenagers to take an interest in American pop culture. This includes, but is not limited to, American movies, shows, and music. When I got to Finland, I immediately saw posters and advertisements for either American movies and shows, or their covers with a Finnish translation. (Note that it wasn’t just American pop culture, but also British, Australian, and some from higher populated Western European countries such as France or Germany.) As most Finnish films or songs don’t reach an international crowd, a lot of the pop culture that they enjoy comes from America or England. When I first realized this, I felt a bit of disappointment at first, as I feared it meant I wouldn’t get to absorb true Finnish culture as much as I’d hoped, however, if you ask around and talk to friends or your host family, you’ll be able to find some really great Finnish movies, shows, and music. It just depends on where you look. It was also a very strange feeling to be able to relate to people who live in a different country than me about the same films and songs that I grew up with. It was a really nice feeling a lot of the time, because it led to experiences like teaching my friends the meanings of English lyrics to songs, or talking about the slight differences in the plots of American films vs. their Finnish translations that were released in Finland.
Removing your shoes before you enter the house, and changing them at school
I’m aware from prior international experience that the practice of removing your shoes at the door before entering a house is definitely not something unique to Finnish culture. In fact, many countries around the world (for various reasons) do this before they go inside. However, I’ve found that in the U.S., it’s a lot more common, especially when you’re a guest at somebody’s house, to leave your shoes on when you go inside, and simply wipe your feet at the door so as to not get dirt on the floors. Of course, this somewhat strict rule in Finnish households may seem natural to some Americans, as I do know people in the U.S. who follow this practice almost religiously. Regardless, I believe that to some students who are used to being in too much of a hurry to take their shoes off and put them back on when running in and out of a house, this may seem strange at first. You likely won’t find yourself in trouble for forgetting to take your shoes off, however many times you will be reminded by those around you. No worries though, they recognize that where you’re from things like that might be different, it’ll just be a funny change you might have to get used to.
The English language… everywhere
Even when it’s a conversation between two Finnish people, you could hear English being spoken. Now, I’m sure if you’re interested in travelling to Finland, you might know that nordic countries generally speak very good English these days. All students are required to learn it from a young age (the age differs but it’s generally 3rd-5th grade), and so, naturally, many of them are able to speak it very well by the time they’re in high school. I’m going to go ahead and make the assumption that if you’re interested in being an exchange student you must have at least a little interest in different languages, and maybe you even know a few yourself. If this is the case, then you know how exciting it is to use a second or third language, and you probably enjoy using it whenever you get the chance to speak with a native speaker. For Finns, it’s the same way. Especially the teenagers, who, as I previously stated, have been exposed to a lot of media published in the English language. I rarely got the chance to pick up on English conversations between just Finns with no background or relation to a conversation with myself, however, if I spoke in conversation (in English) to certain friends, some of them would continue the conversation in English even after I’ve walked away. Many jokes, references, and quotes beyond the realm of Finnish origin are often made or quoted in English (sometimes even if the person saying it doesn’t know what all the words mean!). You’ll find that, as an American, Finnish students will be eager to speak to you in English about a whole ocean of topics, but a lot of people I met were better at speaking the language and forming their own sentences than understanding the language (especially when it’s being spoken quickly). Because of this, if you’re interested in helping out a friend in Finland with their English, or just having a conversation in your native language, try to speak slowly, so that the conversation flows better, and there are less questioning faces and confused responses.
A less than satisfactory amount of Finnish language resources, even in Finland
Though I enjoyed speaking in English with my Finnish friends and helping them to grow their vocabulary, I myself was (and still am) very fascinated by the Finnish language, and I really wanted to learn it before, during, and after my trip. Unfortunately, seeing as though the Finnish language is only really spoken in Finland, it’s really hard to find resources to learn the language, especially if you’re not in Finland. Thankfully, if you’re an exchange student, you have all the resources you need living around you if you really put your mind to it. Now, I’m not saying just being in the country will teach you the language, nor am I saying that you’ll be able to achieve fluency in your trip (I certainly didn’t) However, pushing yourself to use the language as much as possible sets a really good foundation in your head for future studies of the language. I know that in the last paragraph I talked about how much fun it can be to talk in English with your friends, however, if it is truly your goal to learn the Finnish language, I’d say it’s best to force yourself to only speak Finnish (perhaps at designated times), so that you can burn as much of the language and it’s insane grammar system into your head. However, it can be overwhelming to constantly speak a second language, especially if those around you speak your language and you know it’s an available option. This doesn’t mean you’ll never learn the language, seeing as though the options for personal studies are limited, there are some very good courses and books. I’ll put a list here of the ones I think helped me to learn the most Finnish during and after my trip, and a link so you can find them.
Duolingo Finnish course – this is a new course, so the lessons are very limited, however, I’d recommend completing this course sometime during your time abroad, as once you know the basics of the language, this can be helpful to teach you some new vocabulary.
FSI Finnish course – the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) offers an incredible amount of free courses and resources for all the languages you can imagine, Finnish included. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t discover this until the end of my trip, but if you read through the book (downloadable as a PDF and printable) then you can gain a really, really useful amount of information about the pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary of the Finnish language.
Survival Finnish for Travelers: Lumi Bear’s Basic Travel Finnish – this one is a book that I was given for my birthday about a month before my departure from my parents, and it’s full of really helpful phrases and words that you can use when you’re travelling and you don’t have a translator at hand.
Suomen Mestari 1 – when you get to Finland, you’ll probably have organized with your program a course with which you’ll be learning Finnish for a portion or all of your trip. The Suomen Mestari 1 book is the book which I bought for my class. The whole book is written in Finnish, as it’s made for people from any country to learn Finnish, not specifically English speakers. You’ll likely end up buying a book for the class you attend, but on the off chance that you want to buy this book anyways (assuming you don’t automatically buy the same one for your course), I’d recommend getting this after you already have obtained a basic understanding of the Finnish language with a source made for English speakers.
I must confess, of all four sources listed above, I’ve only completely finished the work in the Duolingo course. However, I’ve completed or reviewed a lot of the work in the other sources, and I can see at this point that they really helped with my growth in the Finnish language.
The ultra-hot saunas, and feeling like a chump in them compared to the Finns
Okay, if you’ve been in an American sauna before, you’ve probably noticed that they’re really hot, but at least tolerable (hopefully). At least, in my experience that’s about how I’d describe them. However, if you end up going to a Finnish sauna during your trip (which you definity will, they’re unavoidable), I recommend you prepare yourself for a level of heat that is unmatched by saunas outside of Finland. There’s a reason why they’re known all around the world for their saunas and how they use them, and that is because they will not stop throwing water on the rocks, even if to you it feels like you’re sitting in an oven. My first time going in my host family’s sauna, it got so hot that when they told me we were going to jump into a hole in the frozen over lake, I didn’t have to debate it in my head, I got in the water as soon as I could. You’ll likely hear a few jokes by your Finnish colleagues who have travelled to America about how ‘cold’ our saunas are, but don’t worry, because the more trips you take to the sauna in Finland, alone or in a group, the stronger resistance you’ll build up to the heat. In fact, if you go enough, by the end of your trip you may be able to make it through a whole sauna session with some Finnish peers without flinching when they add more steam.
Tipping- don’t do it
This one you may have heard before, either about Finland or about another country. This is another thing like taking off shoes, one that depends on where you go, as many places have it one way while others have it the other way. In Finland, it isn’t offensive to tip your waiter or someone helping you with service in a store, however, it is unusual. It’s one of those things that you might want to avoid doing if it’s your goal to fit in better in your community.
Day and night
As far as the daylight goes in Finland, you’ll generally get elongated days in the summer and elongated nights in the winter. Depending on what time of the year you travel and how far north you go, you’ll likely get to experience something unlike what you see in the US, even in the heart of summer or winter. In the summertime, when the days are long, oftentimes people in Finland will go swimming in the lakes late at night, as they can still see with the sun up or barely set. In the wintertime, the sun will be set by the time school is out, or it will begin to set soon after. As tough as this might sound, it’s actually quite nice as Christmas decorations are very common late in the winter there as they are in the US, so even though it’s dark out for so long, you get to see the fun lights and decor in the long nights. This aspect of the Finnish environment might be particularly special for students from states further south in the US, as day and night for them remains fairly consistent throughout the year.
Candy and Salt
This last one I’d consider a recommendation not to be taken lightly. In America, our idea of candy is usually things like gummies or chocolate or hard candies. Seldom in my life in the U.S. have I eaten a candy that was completely salty, not making an exception for things like “salted caramel” which are nearly always sweet in whole with just a bit of salt. However, at times in Finland, finding candy that did not contain salt was a challenge. Finns really love their candy a lot, they have a ton of selections of chocolate and other mixed types of candies like pastels or gummies. However, what I believe they are best known for (or should be if they aren’t), is their ‘Salmiakki.’ Now, if you don’t know what this is, you can look it up. It’s like liquorice, but it’s more salty than it is sweet. Like, that’s not my opinion, that’s just the catch. This isn’t to say it’s a bad thing, as a ton of people (including myself at times) like the salty liquorice. However, there are types that (in my opinion) are way too salty, or that are just surprising to find. What I mean by this is that you can go into a store at the beginning of your trip without knowing how to look out for salty liquorice (they have a specific type of package and key words on the cover that you’ll eventually grow accustomed to), and you could buy what you think is a chocolate bar, only to find that the inside is full of a black goo. That’s a liquid form of salmiakki (and a real candy that they have in most stores). There’s chocolate covered salmiakki, there’s fruit candy mixed with salmiakki in bags, there’s pastels, there’s gum, I even bought a licorice flavoured shampoo towards the end of my trip. They have managed to package one of the most controversial candies in virtually every form. So my recommendation to you is simply, beware. If you don’t like liquorice, salty candy, or both mixed together, or if you just aren’t accustomed to it yet (as most Americans aren’t), just be careful when purchasing candies there. Now, obviously this isn’t a matter of life and death, but there were times there when I would pick up a piece of chocolate, and bite into it only to find that it was just double-salted liquorice disguised as chocolate. So again, just beware.
I’m going to leave some of the other things you’ll learn about while in Finland up to you to discover, as this was simply a list of what affected me most. Throughout your time abroad, you’re going to run into things that seem different from the way life goes for you normally, in a multitude of ways. All I can say is you have to view these surprises as positive, and let the changes be good things. Even if they seem hard to adjust to at first, you’ll ultimately learn to love a lot of aspects of your host country, it just requires time and patience. So be sure to always prepare for new experiences, keep an open mind, and good luck on your adventure abroad!
You’ve heard us say it a thousand times: cultural exchange is lifechanging. We say it a lot because it’s true. Whether your cultural exchange program inspires you to become a chef instead of an accountant or changes your outlook on community, there’s no shortage of ways that living abroad impacts your life. In this Q&A, Greenheart Travel Associate Director of High School Abroad and Short Term Programs Allison asks High School Abroad Spain alum Meredith all about her best memories of studying abroad and how it’s changed her life.
Photo courtesy of Meredith.
Q: What made you decide on studying in Spain?
A: Originally applied to study abroad in English speaking countries. Prior to my time in Spain I was one of those monolingual Americans who didn’t see the value in learning another language when English was so globalized. I was told that there weren’t any spots left in any English speaking countries but that there was a spot in Spain and Austria. I still wanted to study abroad and I had taken two years of high school Spanish so I chose Spain. That year completely changed my whole life and my whole perspective on language education. It even changed my career path. Beforehand I wanted to be a Speech Pathologist. Now I want to go to law school to study international and comparative law.
Q: What was your life like when you studied in Spain?
A: I went to IES Pedro de Valdivia in Badajoz and completed Primero Bachillerato. I was a part of the town’s track club and I competed in cross country and track. I participated in a charity race (Carrera de la Mujer) that strived to bring awareness to domestic violence against women in Spain as well as raise money for women’s shelters. I placed in the top ten in the race (and so did a couple of my teammates) so we qualified to run in the international race in Lisbon, Portugal.
Q: Wow, it sounds like you did a lot of extracurriculars. What else did you do?
A: Throughout the school year I worked with my English teachers to help my school qualify to compete in an international economics competition (Erasmus). My town’s English program wasn’t as great as schools in the cities so I would spend free periods going through their presentations with them and correcting grammar/pronunciation etc. They ended up presenting their project in Poland! I participated in a play (entirely in Spanish) for my literature class where I played a supporting role. I had about 12 lines and my classmates were so encouraging as I was learning them (the Spanish was very old, like Shakespeare level old English). Preparation for the play was about two weeks so we practiced every day during class or during free periods.
Photo courtesy of Meredith.
Q: If you had a to pick a really fun memory of your time in Spain, what would it be?
A: Segundo Bachillerato did a baking competition and my friends in Segundo Bachillerato convinced the teachers to let me participate with them. We spent a week planning and a whole day cooking only to lose to someone who admitted that they just used Chips Ahoy that they snuck back from America! The irony of an American losing to an American cookie had us laughing all afternoon and this experience was the first time I had to bake without using US measurements. Using a food scale to bake blew my mind.
Q: Overall, how do you think your year in Spain changed you?
A: This is my favorite story to tell to when I explain how much Spain changed me: My sophomore year of high school we had an exchange student from Barcelona named Ana. The day she was leaving she was helping me with my Spanish homework. I remember sitting at our kitchen table and crying about how stupid and useless Spanish was out of pure frustration. Two years later I met up with Ana in Barcelona after my year in Spain and we didn’t speak in English the entire week I stayed with her family. She brought up the story of me crying about Spanish the day she left and we could not stop laughing about it.
Photo courtesy of Meredith
Q: What are your plans now?
A: I am currently applying to Peace Corps. My year abroad in Spain played a huge part in my decision to apply to the Peace Corps.
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The Greenheart Club
The Greenheart Club is our exclusive online community where civic innovators and volunteers can network, gain access to professional development tools, and measure their community impact. Customize your profile, share stories, receive badges and learn from others around the globe, all while logging your volunteer hours. You are required to have a Greenheart Club account to apply for the Odyssey Programs and Greenheart Grants.
Apply for a Greenheart Global Impact Grant (GIG) or Teach-Pair-Share Grant
A Greenheart Global Impact Grant (GIG) is a financial award of up to $1000 given to exemplary members of the Greenheart Club. It provides alumni with the opportunity to create, improve, or maintain a community-focused project abroad or at home. Find more information on the Greenheart Club.
Greenheart’s Teach-Pair-Share grant provides up to $1000 for Greenheart English Teachers to partner with a teacher from their host community on a project that benefits their students and school. For example, the grant can be used to fund a language-immersion event, launch an afterschool program, or build an educational garden. Apply here.
Become a Greenheart Travel Ambassador
The Greenheart Travel Ambassador role is a unique volunteer opportunity for alumni who want to share their international experience, encourage others to travel abroad on a cultural exchange program, and grow their personal network.
By participating as a Greenheart Travel Ambassador, you will:
Earn internship-like experience customizable to your interests
Develop advanced marketing, mentoring, and leadership skills
Expand your personal and professional networks
Connect with other highly accomplished alumni
Make connections and work directly with Greenheart Travel staff
Gain access to professional development resources and special events
What does a Greenheart Travel Ambassador do?
Well, that depends on you! Are you a writer? Get published on our blog! An education major? Present with us in schools! Into marketing? Contribute to our social media and recruiting efforts!
These are just a few of the ways our Ambassadors are involved:
Mentor new Greenheart Travel participants
Host a Greenheart Travel meetup in your area
Give a stellar presentation and inspire your peers
Join us at a fair or conference to promote travel for a change
We’re happy to answer your questions! Learn more or apply today by emailing travelalumni@greenheart.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
Apply for a Greenheart Odyssey Scholarship Program
At the heart of our mission is the Greenheart Odyssey, a series of five leadership programs providing full-ride scholarships (flights included!) to chosen alumni. All alumni can apply through their Greenheart Club portal following completion of their program abroad.
Junior Greenheart Global Leader’s Conference (Under 18)
Jr. Leaders spend five days in Chicago exploring global leadership. They engage in service, public speaking workshops, cultural exchange, and one-on-one engagement with innovative leaders.
Greenheart Global Leader’s Conference (18+)
Adult Global Leaders spend a week in Washington, D.C. learning how to be advocates for cultural exchange and community development. Business, social justice, and sustainability workshops culminate in a Department of State visit and panelist opportunity.
Greenheart Global Alumni Council
Six all-star alumni are chosen to be Greenheart board members for the year. Council members are empowered by the unique opportunity to come together in-person at the Purpose Summit in Berlin, Germany and in online spaces. They develop initiatives that have an international impact.
Become a Local Coordinator in the USA
Join our team of local coordinators throughout the USA, placing and supporting our high school exchange students and their host families. This is a part-time contract position that is open to alumni 26 years or older, with the opportunity for domestic and international travel to annual conferences.
Located in the United States?You and your family can open your home to a high school exchange student from another country. You can host a student anywhere from a few weeks to an entire academic year. Volunteer host families provide our young ambassadors a wide range of landscapes, climates, activities, and lifestyles.
There are so many different apps available to assist you in your travels, but many of them are geared towards short-term vacationers to help put together an itinerary or find the cheapest flight. While those apps will be useful when you have some time to plan a vacation, you’ll want to add a few apps to your phone that will make your day-to-day life a little easier. Below are a few of our favorite (free!) apps:
General
Maps
Downloaded Google Maps
Maps.me
City Maps 2Go
Even if you do decide to get a data plan for your phone while you’re abroad, it’s still a good idea to limit your use of it as much as possible. Downloading maps before you leave home or a wifi hotspot helps you not get lost and save some data! Everyone has their preference, but these are the three most used map apps.
Communication
Whatsapp
Facebook Messenger
Kakao Talk
Line
Another way to save on your phone plan is to find out which free messaging app is popular in your host country. WhatsApp is the most common in general, Kakao is most popular in Korea and Line is prevalent in Thailand and Japan.
Learning the Local Language
Duolingo
Memrise
Duolingo and Memrise are the two most popular language learning apps. They are free and structured so that you only have to study for 10 minutes a day. They offer a wide range of languages but aren’t 100% inclusive so you may need to seek out a language-specific app for some countries, like Thailand.
Language On the Fly
TripLingo
Scan & Translate
Google Translate
Duolingo is good for the continuation of learning a language, but sometimes you need quick translation or an easy way to lookup a word/phrase. TripLingo is truly amazing. With over 100 destinations available, the app offers basic phrases and slang terms to help you sound more like a native. There is also a live translator option that actually works well, a dictionary and a culture guide for each destination. Google Translate is a good guide if you’re stuck on a certain word, but gets messy (i.e. wrong) when you start asking for full sentences. Scan&Translate allows you to take a picture of text and translate it which comes in handy when the local language doesn’t use the Roman alphabet.
For the Classroom
Kahoot
FluentU
Words With Friends
Heads Up
Phones are generally not allowed in the classroom, but you know the kids have them anyway and are trying to sneak glances when your back is turned, so why not turn a negative into a positive? Kahoot is an app where students use their phones to answer questions in a quiz that you made which can either be taken in teams or individually. FluentU is normally used as a language learning app (like Duolingo) but they have a ton of authentic English-speaking video clips to supplement your lessons. Games that are traditionally not educational like Words with Friends and Heads Up can still be used as a fun way to incorporate English in your classroom.
VPN
NordVPN ($40/year)
PureVPN ($40/year)
Safer VPN ($6/month)
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is an app on your phone (or software on your computer) that protects your device with less secure networks, like public wifi, by encrypting the connection and using a different IP address. VPN’s are not free, but they’re on this list for their usefulness – travelers benefit from a VPN mostly for streaming services that are unavailable outside of their home countries, like Netflix for example. The VPN is most useful for those living in China where most apps are blocked (Facebook, Instagram, Gmail, Google) but Netflix and Spotify aren’t always available in other countries and they’re nice to have, too.
Transportation
Uber
Moovit
Uber isn’t always available in every country, but most places will have their own version of Uber to make up for it. Moovit works on desktop and has an app to help you find the fastest way from Point A – Point B with whatever public transit is available. There is a wide range of countries and cities available with Moovit so it’s great to use when you’re traveling for vacation too!
Miscellaneous
Money – XE Currency
Easy way to convert multiple currencies
Safety – Smart Traveler (US Citizens)
Sign up for the STEP program before you leave home and stay up to date with safety in your host country with this app
Food – Happy Cow
Use this app to find vegetarian-friendly restaurants or dishes in your area
Country-Specific Apps
Korea
Kakao Talk
Kakao Metro
Kakao Bus
Kakao Taxi
Kakao Maps
Kakao everything!
Thailand
Learn Thai, Thai Pod 101
Language learning apps specifically for Thai that offer short, manageable lessons
Grabcab
Especially on the islands or Bangkok, this app really gives you an idea of what you should actually be paying even if you don’t use it to hail a cab
Next Station
Map of the all the Bangkok public train stops including the BTS, MRT and Airport line
Food Panda
Food delivery app similar to Seamless that can be used in big cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai
Europe
Flixbus
Find bus routes, schedules and buy tickets around Europe
CityMapper
Navigation tool that displays public transit info, such as cost and live departure times of buses and trains. It will even tell you the best section of the train to find a seat! CityMapper mostly has European cities, but there are a few other destinations like Seoul, Istanbul and Hong Kong.
Trenitalia
Mobile ticketing for Italy
China
WeChat
Similar to Kakao, WeChat is a savior in China. You use it to text, as a social media platform, to order food for delivery and even to pay your bills or a cab fare!
VPN
Everyone has their preferred VPN, but if you want to continue using your favorite social media platforms, you’ll need to shell out the money each year for a VPN on your phone and laptop
New Zealand
Grabaseat
Find super cheap domestic flights
First Table
Discounts for participating restaurants
Grabone
Similar to Groupon
Have you used an app that was a life-saver during your time abroad? Comment the name below!
Greenheart Travel’s High School Abroad England program gives U.S. and Canadian students the chance to join their British peers in intensive academic courses called “A Levels” (Advanced Levels). Students are placed in the final two years of non-compulsory high school (Years 12 and 13, the equivalent of 11th and 12th grade in the U.S.) at semi-private Sixth Form Colleges.
We often emphasize the rigorous academic aspects of this program with good reason – but as an U.S. teen on an exchange in England, there’s a lot you might know you can do!
Win a scholarship for the 2021-2022 Academic Year
All students who apply for the 2021-2022 academic year in England will be eligible for a $1,200 scholarship. While all students will be considered for the scholarship, we’ll give special preference to any student who identifies as a first-time traveler and is particularly interested in music or the arts. The deadline to apply is April 15! Hurry!
Participate in Activities Through School
The Sixth Form Colleges we place students at offer a range of “enrichment” activities, most commonly things like basketball, tennis, volleyball, soccer, and gymnastics. There are spas, sports facilities, performing arts centers, and even a rock climbing gym at one school! While the academics are a big aspect of being an exchange student in England, there are so many other incredible opportunities to get involved outside of class.
Graduate From High School
Well, sort of. Remember, it’s actually called Sixth Form College! If you’d like to earn graduate from a British Sixth Form College and be able to apply to universities in England, you can study for two consecutive years on the High School Abroad England program. You’d have to enter in your 11th grade year and study in England for both 11th and 12th grade years and succesfully pass your “A-Level” exams at the end of the two year.
Earn an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
There are two schools within our network that allow U.S. or Canadian students to study in an International Baccalaureate (IB) program. This is highly competitive and only available for high achieving students. In order to participate in this program students have to commit to studying their final two years (11th and 12th grade equivalents) in England. We accept students on a case-by-case basis and this program has additionally fees — so get in touch before starting your application.
Specialize in a Skill or Trade
While our traditional High School in England program places students in Sixth Form College to get a window into the life of a student preparing for their “A-Level” exams, we also work with schools offering vocational tracks, known as BTEC (Business & Technology Education Council) courses.
If you’re interested in getting real-world, hands-on experience in things like hair and make-up, massage therapy, hospitality and food science and nutrition, TV and film production, sports therapy or personal training, fashion design and textiles, photography, sound, lights, and stage, and many other skills, there are options for you! Get in touch to inquire about special pricing and options.
Take a Gap Year
Already graduated from high school in the U.S. or Canada? No problem. You’re still welcome to study abroad in England! In fact, with the specialization and high academic rigor of A-Levels or the practical knowledge gained from a V-Tech track, it’s a perfect prep for U.S. university or well-rounded career. Read more about why England is a great gap year location here.
Travel on your own
As a general rule across all Greenheart Travel high school programs, students are only permitted to travel through school or with their host families, but not on their own. England (and The Netherlands) are our only exception to this rule. In England, you’ll be treated more like an adult and so long as you get approval, have good academic standing and don’t miss any class, you and your new friends can travel on weekends and breaks. One alum Adelaide did several trips, including this weekend excursion with her friends to London. Another alum Josh traveled on his own from his host community Worthing to Bath and Stonehenge.
Join a Football Academy
And you know what we mean by football, right? Nope, not what they play at the Super Bowl! In the U.S. it’s called soccer, in the U.K. (and rest of the world!) it’s referred to as football. Any U.S. or Canadian teens with particular skill at soccer are eligible to play the sport while studying abroad in England. Throughout the world soccer is one of the most common sports, and England is no exception. Many of the Sixth Form Colleges where Greenheart Travel students study (for example, Bexhill College or Itchen College) have men’s and women’s soccer teams, where highly skilled players get top-notch training and coaching and the opportunity to play on teams. The Ladies Football team at Itchen College won the National Cup finals four years in a row and many former players of these leagues have gone on to play professionally!
Not quite a pro yet? No sweat. If you love soccer but haven’t yet reached the skill level required to compete, you’d definitely still be able play soccer as an afterschool activity.
Greenheart Travel note: Daphne is a high school student from New Jersey studying in Norway during the 2020-2021 year.
By: Daphne Becker
Daphne having a snack while enjoying the outdoors.
Norwegian’s typically have a reputation for being very outdoorsy people, and I can confirm that is true. A very typical question from a Norwegian is “Skal vi gå på tur” Which means “Should we go for a walk?” If you have ever even been on vacation in Norway for just a couple of days, you have definitely heard this phrase being said.
Now, I know what you’re probably thinking, that you go on walks all the time at home just around the block or to the store. A Norwegian walk is different. It is usually in the forest not too far from your house, around lunch or dinner time, includes a fire (with grilling hot dogs, marshmallows, etc), and they are done all throughout the year. After all, “there’s no bad weather, only bad clothing” right? This isn’t just an activity that your parents drag you too for some family time on the weekends, and you just complain the whole time. This is something that every Norwegian has grown up doing their whole life, so naturally everyone young and old are able to make a fire and cook food over it. This is something that I have had to learn in the time that I’ve been here so far, and something that I will bring back home with me. Of course there are other activities that people do here like cross country skiing, ice skating, and swimming (all year long!).
Norwegians don’t center activities around money. Of course they like to go out to eat or go on vacation, but the country offers so many free activities. This has to do with the fact that Norway is an expensive country to live in. To compensate for that, they have so many free outdoor spaces for anyone to use. Norway has a concept called the “freedom to roam” or “everyman’s right”. This means that you are able to walk, camp, picnic, etc on undeveloped land throughout the country. Of course there are some basic rules for camping that need to be followed such as:
People are allowed to camp at least 150 meters away from the nearest inhabited house or cottage.
Campfires are not allowed in the forest areas between 15 April to 15 September, unless it obviously can not lead to a fire.
Tourists are allowed to stay in one spot for only one day. After that, it is necessary to specifically ask for permission from the landowner. This rule excludes the mountains and the national parks.
Nordmen are very environmentally conscious as well, so it is no problem picking up trash and cleaning up after yourself when you leave your spot.
Daphne enjoying the outdoors.
The Norwegian social life differs from mine in New Jersey. I do live at the Jersey shore though, so it is common in the summer and when it is warm in the spring or fall to be outside at the beach or in someone’s backyard. We do not have the “everyman’s right” concept though, so my friends and I do not do a lot of hiking or camping. This also has to do with New Jersey being very flat and populated, so there is not a lot of free land to hike. Of course we could drive to New York or Pennsylvania, but being 16, we don’t have our drivers license to take us there.
We also center our activities around money a lot more. It is not typical in Norway to go to the mall or shops around and go shopping on the weekends, or go to a restaurant and eat out. Norwegians are happy with cooking their own food, and teenagers can cook nice meals too.
On one Friday, I went over to my friends with another girl and we were going to eat dinner there. Typically if I were home, my friends and I would order pizza, sushi, Chinese food, or go out, but here it is common to go to the grocery store and cook for yourselves. I do know how to cook, but I can make the basic things, and I have never cooked with meat before. We went to the store with no plan whatsoever on what to eat. After walking around for a little, we decided to make chicken and some typical Norwegian potato dishes. When we picked out chicken to eat, I thought that it was crazy. I had never cooked with raw chicken before in my life. Partly because I am scared to death of it being raw. We went back to her house, and prepped and cooked chicken and potatoes for us to eat. After doing this, I was thinking about how different it was to me to just cook dinner with friends instead of going out or ordering take out. Thinking back on it, it is a good idea to cook more at home with friends because you make more funny memories, and save a lot more money!
Of course there are many similarities though. In the winter when it is just too cold and snowy to do anything, it is very common to watch a movie and chill on the couch with your friends. Also to have game nights, which is a good way to learn the language because many games are translated from the English version to a Norwegian one. For instance, the game, Cards Against Humanity, has a Norwegian version where it not only teaches you just some of the language, but also some Norwegian pop culture!
In short, I think that the main difference on social life in Norway vs social life in the United States is that Norway does not center their activities around money. They center it more around good company and nature.
Public transportation isn’t a very common mode of transportation for many U.S. students, but it is in most other countries! High School Abroad Sweden student Catherine had never taken public transportation before studying abroad in Sweden. Now on program, she takes anywhere from 1-2 busses and 1-2 trains, with commutes lasting 1-2 hours every day! On the weekends, she often uses public transportation to visit friends in various locations. Here’s her advice for any student headed to Sweden who plans to use public transport (in other words, every student!). Catherine goes to school in Nässjö, but travels to other areas near her quite frequently.
By Catherine Daniel
Starting Your Journey
A must have for coming to Sweden is definingly the “Buss App” aka “journey Planner” it is a constantly updating Buss and Train monitor that can tell you all the future routes from the closest Bus stop or train station to wherever you wish to go. Other than on extreme occasions, the busses will arrive at the allotted time give-or-take 3 minutes. When you get on your buss you pay by scanning your refillable month buss pass, this is only about 20 dollars for minors.
The first big mistake I ever made was on my first week of school. Making the assumption that the bus station in the town I went to school in was the only bus station in all existence and the mother ship of all busses ever to roam the world. So I got on a totally random bus and simply waited for it to arrive at the bus station. However… I was soon to realize that there is a bus station in every sizable town and the buss I was on wasn’t even coming close to my town at all. The driver realizing I was a total Morton called some of his bus friends and brought me to the first bus station that had a bus going to my home town.
Changing busses
This was one of the hardest parts for me because you will often find yourself at bus stations with several stops all with the same names, you can get confused like myself as to where you should wait. Your host family probably won’t see the point in explaining the bus system because they lived with it their entire lives, so make sure to either ask questions or learn fast. In the beginning always double or triple check the stop you are waiting at and the time you should be there.
On my first trip to school form my new host family in a city far from the one in which I go to school, I got terribly messed up in a bus station. Usually I would take a longer bus to the nearby big city and take the train, but today was different. I got on the bus from my house and got off at a circular bus station with several stops. I knew the bus I was waiting from, but I had no idea where to wait. After about an hour I’d had three whole busses leave me as I was running after them. One of my problems being I hadn’t gotten a SIM card yet so I had no wifi to check the Buss App. Eventually I realized I would have to catch the first bus home and start all over. However! I realized that instead I could take the first buss to Jönköping and from there I would take the train like usual. I succeeded in my endeavor and will forever remember it as a win for me! … even though I got to class a hour late.
The Buss (and train) Police.
Now these guys are the real trouble… built like a cross between The Incredible Hulk and a literal Bolder, these guys com on to busses randomly, in uniform, in groups and check that everyone has paid and are following all of the rules. For an American student this means the following:
They approach me and ask for my Buss Card
Upon scanning my card they will realize I have a minors card (I don’t look 16)
Now they want my ID to prove I am 16…
Upon looking at my Drivers License they will see I am American
NOW I have to give them my Residency permit card to prove I’m not an illegal alien and then finally they will leave me to be.
Catherine in front of her bus stop.
I dramatize this of course, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to have all three cards on you at all times. Another problem that can occur with The Buss Police is refilling you bus card. This story is a rather humorous one for me, so much so that I almost forget sweating bullets during it.
Every month your buss card will run out one day before it was purchased the previous month, so if I bought my card on the 1st (like I do) then on the 31st it will run out. But if I keep refilling it the same day it runs out then the day will keep moving back and I just like a little more structure than that. So I use my expired buss card every month on the first to go to the buss station and refill it. This is possible because (especially with COVID-19) the bus drivers don’t require you to scan every time, usually simply reaching for your card will work and they will wave you on. One day however, it occurred to me that if The Buss Police were to come on the 1st then I would kind of be in trouble. My argument “that’s ridiculous I’m sure everyone refills their card on the 1st so why would they check? Aaaaaand I’ve only ever seen The Buss Police three times since being here, it’s terribly unlikely, terribly indeed…
Long story short — The Buss Police totally came that day but after I promised I was on my way to refill it right now they let me go!
The front of the buss is the number and end destination, this is also the name of the buss on the buss app
The back of the bus shows just the number .
Watch this video below to see how Catherine books her bus ticket:
