Category: High School – Argentina

The Biggest Culture Shock of Argentina: The Schedule
By: Naomi, High School Abroad Argentina Alumni, 2024 FTT Winner

Hi! I’m Naomi and I spent six months in Argentina for my student exchange. Before leaving for my trip, I was most definitely expecting to experience culture shock. However, I was surprised by the parts of the culture that ended up being the hardest for me to adapt to. Today I want to share the most challenging cultural aspects for me and how I worked through those differences.

Longer Days

In Argentina, the daily schedule is vastly different from what I was used to in the United States. The time you are awake is much longer and much of the “day” is spent at night. Most people wake up at around seven or eight in the morning and are awake until midnight or one in the morning. For reference, I had a schedule similar to this on weekdays:
- 7am to 9am wake up & eat breakfast
- 9am to 11am clean, exercise, prepare food, & homework
- 11am to 12pm lunch
- 1pm to 6pm school
- 7pm to 8pm merendar (snack)
- 8pm to 10pm sports
- 10pm to 11pm dinner
- 11pm to 12am family time & hygiene time
- 12am to 1am go to bed
On the weekends, the day becomes even longer, and it is common to not sleep much at all. People often will stay awake until 6 am and sleep for 3-4 hours before starting another day. Another distinction is that on the weekends people do not do much during the day. It’s only really towards the late afternoon and night that people will start hanging out with friends, going shopping, etc.

For me, this routine was a very hard change mostly because I was not expecting such a dramatic difference. When I finally actively realized that my schedule was going to be widely different here and that trying to keep the same routine I had in the U.S. was not the right option, I was able to adjust much more easily. It sounds like such a simple thing, but the mental switch allowed me to seek the help I needed to adjust to a new situation. While going through this process of adjustment, communicating about how I felt was crucial. It is nerve-racking to talk about how you might feel tired or uncomfortable with people who are unfamiliar to you. Despite this, it is very important to break down that barrier and share how you are feeling, especially with your host family. Once I addressed the problem with my host mom, we were able to create a plan to confront the problem I was having and resolve it, instead of me having to suffer through it on my own.

I was able to adjust to the new schedule fairly quickly after talking with my host mom and was able to enjoy my days a lot more. So, if you end up struggling with this new routine, don’t be afraid to talk about it with your host family. I guarantee it will help you!

Four Meals a Day

Another difference in daily life is that there are typically four meals a day in Argentina:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Merendar
- Dinner
This fourth meal is added because the days are so long that you need some extra fuel to keep you going. As in the U.S., it is common to have a snack after coming home from school, merendar is the same idea.

Another difference in Argentina is the size of meals. Lunch is the most important meal of the day, meaning it is also the largest. It is also very common to have lunch with your whole family (similar to traditional American dinners). All the other meals trail behind lunch and tend to be relatively small and variable. For example, it was not uncommon to not eat breakfast or dinner some days.

These differences were not as hard to adjust to. The biggest hurdle I encountered was communicating how I felt about not eating breakfast or dinner. Communicating about food or lack of food can be hard, but communicating how you are feeling about what you are eating is always the better idea. Once I asked about what meals would typically look like, I was able to feel more comfortable about the eating schedule and also plan food I wanted to eat or make on my own time, without feeling bad about it. Again, communication here is key.

Conclusion

Overall, I found that most of the problems and cultural differences I ran into could be solved through communicating with my host family about how I was feeling. They are your support system in-country and they want you to be happy and comfortable too. So, don’t hold back when problems arise, and good luck on this new adventure!
January 27, 2025
Greenheart’s First Time Traveler Scholarship Winners for Spring 2024!

Every year, Greenheart makes scholarships available to First Time Travelers. These scholarships are intended for those who have never traveled out of the country and want to immerse themselves in another culture. Here are just some of the winners of the 2024 First Time Traveler Scholarships and their thoughts on travel!

Name: Clara

Program: High School Abroad in Sweden

Why is the opportunity to travel for the first time exciting for you?

It opens a whole new world of experiences and opportunities, immersing myself in different cultures, trying new foods, exploring breathtaking landscapes, and meeting people from all walks of life. I’m getting a chance to break free from familiar everyday life and embrace the unknown. I’m excited to be in the shoes of a Swedish teenager and experience everything that comes with it. I’m hoping to be able to explore and soak up everything around me.

Name: Alana

Program: Teen Language Camp in Japan

What does Greenheart Travel’s Mission, “Travel for a Change,” mean to you?

“Travel for a Change” to me, means the opportunity of becoming more aware of other places and cultures in the world. It signifies the internal change that one will go through while experiencing all these ways of living life that are unlike our own. With the opportunity of traveling and visiting new places, you will learn new cultures, food, fashion, languages, and more. While you travel and come across all these experiences, you will gain a broader understanding of the world. The places you visited will leave an imprint on who you are and who you will become as a person therefore, changing you from who you used to be into someone with more comprehension of cultures and lifestyles.

Name: Naomi

Program: High School Abroad in Argentina

What does Greenheart Travel’s mission, “Travel for a Change,” mean to you?

To me, “Travel for a Change” means that travel breaks down barriers and prejudices between the traveler and those being visited. Furthermore, travel also builds bridges in the places of those barriers and prejudices. These changes that occur while traveling ultimately allow our world to be a more loving, accepting, and connected environment. As people begin to be more accepting of other cultures through travel, the world becomes a better place.

Name: Sadie

Program: High School Abroad in Italy

What does Greenheart Travel’s Mission, “Travel for a Change,” mean to you?

To me, traveling for a change also means you evolve who you are as a person and your perspective on what may be considered ‘normal’ because it provides the opportunity to see how others live! That’s why I want to actually live with a family in Italy. To live and invest in relationships with others around the world is a truly rewarding experience. Travel also forces you to grow as a person by stepping outside of your comfort zone, learning to handle responsibility, navigating different forms of transportation, learning about different currencies, language and relating to others with different backgrounds and traditions. I think travel has the capacity to help teens like me grow and gain so many more tools than what may be possible without the experience of travel.

Name: Madeleine

Program: High School Abroad in Ireland

Why is the opportunity to travel for the first time exciting for you?

Ever since I was young, my main goal has been to see the world. I’ve always recognized that there is much more to explore beyond my backyard. From the gorgeous hills of Ireland to the seaside cities in Greece so many call home, there are countless people to meet and endless astounding views. To not only get to travel outside of America for an extended period of time but to also be fully immersed in the day-to-day experience of the citizens there, is a first-time, life-changing experience. I am excited to connect to new people and to be able to return to the United States with a new outlook on my life!

Name: Kennedi-Grace

Program: Teen Language Camp South Korea

What does Greenheart Travel’s Mission, “Travel for a Change,” mean to you?

“Travel for a Change” implies traveling with the intention of being a forever learner. To learn how to make a change in your community by learning the values of the different cultures around the world. To make a difference in the communities we are a part of, we need to be able to see ourselves from a different perspective. To learn what it means to be a community and learning to come together despite our differences.

Name: Zev

Program: Teen Language Camp Spain

What does Greenheart Travel’s Mission, “Travel for a Change,” mean to you?

For me, travel symbolizes more than just visiting new destinations; it’s a transformative odyssey that promises to shape my worldview, enrich my understanding of diverse cultures, and foster a profound sense of empathy and connection with the world. Stepping beyond the borders of familiarity, I anticipate encountering unfamiliar landscapes, immersing myself in vibrant cultures, and forging meaningful connections with people from all walks of life.

Name: Jade

Program: Teen Language Camp France – Saint-Malo

Why is the opportunity to travel for the first time on your own exciting for you?

I have never gotten on a plane by myself to a foreign country. I’ve never needed to navigate my way to a destination, nor been forced to figure out how to find my way – no less all by myself. The idea of living in a foreign city, with a new family, and leaving my home family and friends behind is something I’ve never done before. While it is all a bit intimidating, it is at the same time exciting, interesting, and adventurous!

Name: Anna

Program: Teach Abroad Thailand

What does Greenheart Travel’s Mission, “Travel for a Change,” mean to you?

“There is a famous quote that says, “The sky is the limit, but there are footprints on the moon.” Like the Greenheart mission, this saying means that we create our own limits. We are not constrained to one location, aspiration, or situation unless we force ourselves to do so. Traveling can be intimidating, but it can also be the most rewarding accomplishment of a lifetime if we allow ourselves to have it. We are the creators of our own destinies, so only we have the power to step outside of the boxes in which we confine ourselves.”

Learn more about Greenheart’s First Time Traveler Scholarships

May 16, 2024
Leaving Home – A First Time Traveler goes to High School in Argentina
Greenheart Travel knows the power of travel. That is why we’re committed to helping people who haven’t had the chance to immerse in a new culture, travel, or live abroad. Every year, Greenheart Travel offers First Time Traveler scholarships to help new travelers get out and meet others around the world. Recently Max won a First Time Traveler scholarship to attend Greenheart Travel’s High School Abroad in Argentina. Here is a little bit about his first independent travel experience!

Leaving Home – by Max K.

“Do you like it here in Argentina? Do you miss home?” These are the two questions I get asked daily as a foreign exchange student. My answers are always the same: yes and yes. In reality, the way I feel about spending my senior year of high school in Córdoba, Argentina is much more complex than a one-word response.

I’ll take a few steps back- my name is Max. I’m from a small town in Wisconsin and I chose to move abroad last spring after receiving the First Time Traveler Scholarship from Greenheart Travel. Before coming here, I had no clue what to expect. I was too caught up in applying for my visa, tying up loose ends, and writing packing lists to stop and think about the gravity of my situation; I would be leaving everything and everyone I knew behind. Before the unimaginable, it has become the reality I’ve come to know well.

Recently while hanging out with a friend from the next town over, he told me that he might be moving to another province. He seemed to be infatuated with the idea of living somewhere where nobody knew who he was – the ability to “reinvent” himself and do his own thing alone. I realized I had felt similarly before coming here. So, I told him exactly what I wish I had known before I decided to come here: Making a big move is hard. It’s much more complex than just skipping town and creating a new image for yourself. You will miss your family, your friends, the places you always visited, and the streets you walked more than you could ever imagine. When I came here, the culture shock (the scary word that Greenheart loves to use) of not recognizing anyone or anything knocked me off my feet.

I was faced with numerous preconceived notions about myself as an American. My lack of proficiency in Spanish was sometimes equated to blatant stupidity. Rather than “reinventing” who I am, I found myself fighting to rebuild the personality and confidence in who I was as a person that I had spent my whole life in the U.S. forging.

As I began to make friends here, I started to find myself again. I took the initiative to get to know the streets and places in my town. I participated in things that I would never have participated in when I lived in the U.S. I found myself going to the gym with another exchange student, going to soccer games with my host brothers, and spending the weekends at bailes or boliches with groups of friends. By putting forth the effort to make friends and try new things, I was able to regain some of that sense of self I had lost. I firmly believe that this is the most crucial step to having a successful exchange experience.

Now that I’m about three months into my time here, I certainly still miss home. But now rather than feeling lost, it’s as if I’ve made a second home here. Those same things that I missed from home, I’ve started to make connections with here.

Here are a few tips for dealing with leaving home as a foreign exchange student:
- Limit contact with home at first.
  - It sometimes felt hard to call home during my first month or so here. I found myself feeling agitated afterward and missing my family and friends even more than I had beforehand. Something that helped me was limiting the frequency with which I called my family at the start of my program. It allowed me to become fully adjusted to my new living situation. Now, I can call home more easily and with more frequency.
- Walk!
  - One of the best ways to get to know your new town is to start walking; At the beginning of my program, I felt a lack of independence because I didn’t know how to get places without being driven by a host parent. One day I decided to walk home after hanging out with friends – from that point onward I started walking everywhere. Now not only do I have a strong sense of direction in my new town, but I can come and go from my host family’s house with more independence.
- Try new things, take risks, and take care of yourself while doing so.
  - During your time as a foreign exchange student, you will have lots of new opportunities and meet lots of new people. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve done so many things I never would have even imagined doing in the U.S. I try to accept every invitation that comes my way- whether it be a rap battle in Rio Ceballos or a four-hour-long hike in Las Altas Cumbres. Taking risks and taking the initiative to make plans is an essential part of making valuable friendships during your time abroad. However, it’s important to keep in mind that not everyone has the best intentions, and your actions do carry consequences… even in another country. Take risks and enjoy yourself, but do so without endangering yourself or others.
- Embrace the chill days.
  - I’ve spent a lot of time talking about all of the opportunities you’ll have during your program, and while that may be true, downtime and chill days are inevitable (and great!). It’s normal to feel antsy when you have nothing to do, especially with the constant reminders of how limited your time is in your destination country. Days where I have nothing to do have become some of my favorites. They allow me to catch up on school work, go for a walk by myself, or just sit and watch a movie. It’s important to realize that although studying abroad may be an adventure, it still has its ups and its downs.
I still have quite a bit of time left on my program. Although I miss home, I know that it’ll still be there waiting for me when my time is up in Córdoba. I am excited to see where life takes me during the time I have left here, and even more excited to share those experiences with all the new people I’ve met during my time here.

Thank you Max for sharing your experience, insights, and advice!

For more information about Greenheart Travel’s First Time Traveler Scholarship, click here.
November 8, 2022
Camden’s Experience on a One-Month Study Abroad in Argentina

Greenheart Travel alum Camden studied in Argentina on our High School Summer Abroad Argentina program in Summer 2019. Since then, he’s continued learning Spanish, visited Argentina again, and kept in touch with his host family and friends abroad.

Next year, Camden plans to attend Harvard University and study either Economics or Linguistics. We asked Camden about his experience in Argentina and his advice for future students.

Camden with host brothers in Mendoza. Photo courtesy of Camden.

Thanks so much for speaking with us, Camden. First, what were your overall thoughts about the high school abroad summer program in Argentina?

I felt like a month was quite short and I regret not staying longer – when I started getting into the swing of things I had to go. I’m still really glad I had the opportunity to go. I still talk to my host family and friends I made there almost every week, if not more. Since my exchange I even went to visit my host family and friends a second time during my winter break from school, February 2020.

Downtown Mendoza. Photo courtesy of Camden.

What recommendations do you have for future students to make the most of a one-month program?

What helped me to prepare was looking up different Argentine shows and familiarizing myself with the
accent. Other people who were on the exchange had difficulties adapting to the accent and vocab, but I was already used to hearing it at that point. That was something that definitely gave me an advantage.

How can students learn as much Spanish as possible in one month?

You have to jump right in! When I first got there I was nervous and felt awkward and out of place. But then everyone gave me so much attention because I was the new kid. Everyone would come up to me and ask me questions about my interests, hobbies, and my life in the US, which in turn allowed me to practice my Spanish from the start. As I kept talking to everyone I met, I kept practicing and it gave me more confidence to have deeper and more complex conversations.

What classes did you take in Argentina? Which were your favorites? Least favorites?

I was in the same class as my host brother – there was biology, literature in Spanish, English, finance, math, physics, art, PE, and sometimes even yoga. My favorites were biology and English. Biology, because I knew a lot going into it so I could understand whatever we were talking about and contribute in the class discussions. English, because my teacher would allow me to talk freely on pretty much every topic and I enjoyed helping people with their English. I dreaded math, even though I am quite good at it. I didn’t understand what we were doing and the math teacher was a substitute who kept calling on me. At times, I also felt that physics and literature were challenging as I was not too familiar with the complex technical words needed for those subjects.

What did you notice between your high school and your host school in Argentina?

At my high school in New York we usually get 2-3 hours of homework a night, whereas at my host school in Argentina there was around 30-60 minutes of homework per day. At my high school that would be a really easy day or maybe a Friday. In the U.S., on certain days I do homework from as soon as I get out of school until night. Also, since I was an exchange student most teachers didn’t require me to do assignments, but I’d participate if I found the topic interesting.

The court yard at school. Photo courtesy of Camden.

What did a typical day in your life look like while you were on program, in terms of school and host family?

School started at 8am, so I got up at 7:20. We didn’t have breakfast (maybe milk and cereal), and went to school. In the mornings, everyone hangs out in classrooms and someone might even play music, and then we had our classes. On certain days we would line up in the courtyard for the raising of the Argentine flag. High School in Argentina is quite different than school in the U.S., where we switch classrooms, but in Argentina you stay in one classroom and the teachers rotate in and out. At school there was a “kiosco” so during free periods you could go with friends and buy snacks and we often congregated around the field where we played sports.

I went to school until 1:30 Monday through Thursday and on those days didn’t eat lunch at school, but then on Friday I stayed for lunch at school and then had English class until 3:30pm.

Camdens host school Colegio Rainbow. Photo courtesy of Camden.

What were some of the foods you tried from the “kiosco”?

I liked dulce de leche and they had alfajores. The Oreo-flavored alfajor was one of my favorite snacks.

Why did you decide to go in the summer instead of during the school year?

I wanted to do the summer so I could have the ability to fulfill my course prerequisites and graduate on time with my class. My high school is pretty competitive and has a lot of course requirements, so studying abroad would have made it hard to catch up. Most people don’t do exchanges at my school, so that’s why I decided I’d either do a summer program or not at all.

What was your favorite slang word from Argentina?

Boludo. It’s a good thing and a bad thing. It can be someone who’s an idiot or cocky, or like “bro!”

What did you do in your free time?

I went to the movies, malls, and soccer fields a lot. I wasn’t good at soccer but I played anyway. When I hung out with my friends we talked about people, music, and a lot of people wanted to know what life was like in the U.S., like what we do here, and how it’s different from Argentina.

Rosario, where Camden’s on-site orientation took place. Photo courtesy of Camden.

Was there anything you learned that surprised you?

I learned that a lot of things in Argentina are tied to the U.S. dollar, like when our USD goes up and down things in Argentina get more expensive. They were rooting for the downfall of the USD! Lol! I also didn’t know that a lot of American brands aren’t in Argentina, like Apple products for example. To get an iPhone in Argentina it is even pricier than buying one in the US because the supply is so low. People there thought it was interesting that I had several apple products as you don’t see them in Argentina very often because of the prices. The people there who had them usually bought them when they went on vacations to the United States.

So you’re going to Harvard – did you include this experience on your college application essays?

Yes, on my Harvard application I wrote one essay about my program to Argentina! I wrote about my experience of being a bit nervous at first, but how I bonded with people with a shared sense of humor and how I was able to relate with the people and explore the culture. That was a strong essay that definitely gave me an edge for my application.

Anything else you think that would be helpful for others to know before deciding to go to Argentina for one month?

Before you go on your program, it’s a good idea to get to know your host family first. That’s something I didn’t do and I should have. We didn’t have any video call before I left, so when I got there I was kind of like, “Who are you?” But it worked out for the best and we got along well, but I felt nervous for the first couple of days. If I had done a video call I would have been able to have a good relationship from the beginning.

It’s also good to try your best to be outgoing. I’m in the middle – somewhat introverted but also extroverted, but at the end of the day I enjoy talking to different people and above all including
everyone in conversation. I noticed that some exchange students were a bit reserved, and many locals noticed that and assumed they were not nice when that wasn’t the case. In order to avoid that, try your best to speak Spanish all the time. If you spend your time only speaking English with other exchange students or a few Argentines who happen to speak English the majority of Argentines that you meet will feel left out.

It is also important to expand your social circle as your host family may have plans of their own at times. My host brother played soccer almost every day, but I didn’t play soccer and at times I found watching the practices boring. Since I made other friends, I was able to hang out with them while my host-brother was at practice. So it may be ideal to have your friends or plans, like going to the gym, so say your host brother or sister has plans that don’t interest you, you have other plans you can participate in.

Camden at a horse ranch in Argentina. Photo courtesy of Camden.

February 16, 2021
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!

August 12, 2019

Next Step After Teen Summer Language Camp: High School Abroad

So you just finished your Teen Summer Language Camp. You’ve embraced life with a host family, sampled your new favorite foods, accelerated your language skills and met other teens from all over the world. But the summer is coming to a close, and you wish you could do it all over again, or at least stay abroad a little longer.

And you can! By being an exchange student on a High School Abroad program!

Now, let’s not get confused. Teen Summer Language Camp is NOT just a short version of High School Abroad. The two programs are totally different but go hand in hand.

Here are some of the similarities and differences broken down:

	High School Abroad	Teen Summer Language Camp
School	Local high school	Language school
Accommodation	Host family	Host family or residence hall
Length	Summer (1-2 months), trimester, semester, or academic year	2-6 weeks
When	Summer, Fall, Spring	Summer

Both Teen Summer Language Camp and High School abroad offer full language and cultural immersion, but the lengths and experiences are vastly different.

After successfully completing a Teen Summer Language Camp, you’re ready for the new experiences, joys and challenges that come with studying abroad in a local high school for a longer period.

Greenheart Traveler Alexander Obenchain always knew he wanted to study abroad in high school in Japan. In Summer 2018, a Teen Summer Language Camp in Tokyo was the first step to help him prepare for his academic year high school study abroad in 2019. Easing into the language and culture of Japan in Summer 2018 allowed Alexander to hit the ground running when he landed in Japan for his high school program.

“Coming for a smaller amount of time helped me prepare for the difference in atmosphere between here and the states,” he explains. “It was certainly a good thing to have studied the language a little bit more in-depth beforehand. I can also compare my skills from now to then.”

And navigating the Japanese train system? He figured that out a long time ago!

But you don’t have to return to the same country you went to for your Language Camp. Maybe you went to Salamanca, Spain in the summer, and now that you know you can handle being far from home, want to explore Sweden!

So is studying abroad in a local high school right for you? With improved language skills, you’ll be ready to learn subjects like math, science, and drama in another language. After living with a host family for a few weeks, you can anticipate how much you can learn about a country and its culture through observing (and living) day-to-day life abroad. You’ve proven to your parents that you’re independent, capable and problem-solving.

You’ve gotten a taste, now it’s time to thrive.

August 9, 2019

8 Ways to Support Your Child While Abroad

When you’re a parent sending your child abroad, you know there’s a lot they must prepare for: culture shock, homesickness, and language barriers. But your children aren’t the only ones experiencing a life change.

“This was definitely a learning experience for the parents as well!” says Lisa Hall, mother of high school in Sweden alum Matilda. “It was very hard to not be there to help when things were tough.”

So what can you do? Miles away from your children, how can you still support them? We asked parents of Greenheart Travel alumni share their insight on how you can best support your child while they’re abroad. Here are their tips.

Before they go abroad, talk about life when they return

“Prior to him leaving for the 6 months, we did discuss what he wanted to do at his school in the US during his junior year. He decided he would try to run for student council office while he was overseas. And unbeknownst to his dad and I – he did run, campaigned via Instagram and won the vice president spot for the upcoming junior class here in the US. The lesson to learn…. make goals with your child and then let your child be the captain of that ship while he is away.” -Bonnie Green, mother of high school in New Zealand alum Graham.

Agree on a weekly time to talk – and stick with it

Schedule a time and way to communicate in advance, that way you are both on the same page. For example, decide that they need to check-in on Sundays around 7:00 pm their time via WhatsApp. This way, you don’t need to send them texts throughout the day because you’ll already have a set time to catch up.

Mary Scott, mother of language camp in Spain alum Emmy, explains why it’s so important to give space. “While she was abroad, we made sure we weren’t constantly bombarding her with texts and skype calls which at first was difficult. However, we knew she would have a more enriching experience if she wasn’t having to think about us back in Michigan the whole time. We wanted her to be able to completely devote herself to speaking Spanish and learning about her new environment.”

For Hall, being far from her daughter was “hard in a different way when she was having so much fun, there was hardly any contact! But that was the best kind of growth for us all.”

Olivia McCollum at her high school while studying abroad in Japan

Recognize that YOUR life is going to change

Your life at home is undoubtedly going to change. For Bonnie Green, she and her husband experienced being empty nesters for the first time.

Her advice? Take this opportunity and focus on you.

“Make a list of things YOU want to do while your child is away. My husband and I took dance lessons, had adult only (no children) dinner parties, accomplished house updates, traveled to visit our children who were away at college, visited aging parents, put in extra time at work and started hiking more.”

And that leads us to our next point…

Don’t say how much you miss them or how much you want them home

Your child will most likely be homesick at some point, and it can be really hard to go through that while hearing pleads to come home. Being asked to come back and hearing about what they are missing at home can make a hard day so much worse.

Instead, tell them that you are so excited to hear about their adventures when they are back.

Jacob Dane Chilton with host family in Spain

Encourage them to reach out to local staff and take initiative

Part of why going abroad builds confidence and leadership skills is because travelers are expected to speak up and handle themselves. Instead of telling your teen what to do, or doing things on their behalf, allow them the opportunity to be independent. This is especially important when handling the pre-departure logistics so that they don’t feel totally lost when stepping foot in the airport. “When a problem comes up, discuss the different ways it can be solved instead of jumping in and telling them what to do.” says Scott.

The best thing you can do for your teen is to let them practice communicating with adults and learning how to manage themselves. It can be hard to trust your child to do everything right but giving them that space to grow will make them better prepared for their program (and life).

“I think it is vital that while your child is aboard that he/she become a part of their new community,” says Green. “While he did stay in touch with friends in the states, he made friends in NZ. The small town even had a send-off for him and took him to the airport.”

Read about their country and take interest when they share new knowledge

A great way to get involved in their experience is by learning more about the culture in the country in which they’re going. As you learn about your child’s new home, take note of what your child is excited about. “I was sure to listen to all the positive details, no matter how small!” says Hall.

You could practice making a tortilla española or start listening to the music of traditional Austrian brass band and surprise them with your newfound knowledge.

Greenheart staff member Allison Yates’s mom started learning Spanish when she studied abroad in Argentina. “She knew that Spanish was a huge part of my life, so it meant so much that she wanted to learn it too! It helped her feel like she understood my experience more,” says Yates.

Students attending high school abroad in the Netherlands

Educate yourself on what they might be feeling – and how you can help from afar

A great way to get a sense of the mental and emotional experience of studying abroad is by completing the Greenheart Travel Atlas along with your child. This is tool for before, during, and after the cultural exchange experience that includes personal and professional development, cultural understanding and environmental awareness.

For example, if your normally independent child calls you multiple times a day when they first arrive in the country, you’ll remember it’s likely initial culture shock. You can remind them to follow the Greenheart Travel Atlas tools to overcome this stage and focus on meeting new people and spending time with their host family.

Halls says she supported Matilda by “making sure she knew I was there to talk about things, whether they were positive or negative. I tried to give her as much time as I could, but not to have it be open-ended or all the time.”

While your first instinct might be to check in more frequently, increased contact with friends and family back home only exacerbates culture shock.

Rest easy – they’re in good hands

“We had to give up our control and trust in the goodness and professionalism of others. We did our research, chose a great partner in Greenheart, and raised a strong daughter,” s ays Laura Foster, mother of high school abroad Costa Rica alum, Eleanor.

As parents and former exchange students, Greenheart and our in-country partners know what it’s like to be far from your family, and we work to equip students with the tools they need to succeed.

July 25, 2019
The Student Visa Process Broken Down Step-By-Step

If you’ve ever gone abroad before you have most likely had to fill out some sort of international documents and paperwork. It’s a drag. Who wants to fill out what seems like form after form when you could be creating a travel itinerary of all of the places you are dreaming of going! However, this paperwork plays an important part in keeping you safe and accounted for while traveling abroad. More often than not, your duration and reason for travel determine how much paperwork and planning you have to do.

This blog will serve as a guide to my experience with obtaining a Student Visa at the Spanish Consulate in Chicago. Currently, I am nearing the end of the process of applying for a Spanish Student Visa. I will be studying at the Universidad de Sevilla in Seville, Spain next year for nine months and couldn’t be more thrilled!

Don’t know what a visa is? Click here.

To be honest, I’ve never really minded filling out paperwork, especially when it came to cultural exchange; I knew it meant that I was one step closer to getting off that plane and interacting with locals. However, I’m going to be frank and say that this application was no walk in the park. Because I will be studying in Spain for over 90 days, I needed to apply for a student visa, and because I would be staying over 6 months, there were additional documents I needed to obtain.

Before I could even start on all of this paperwork, I needed to figure out where my closest Spanish Consulate was and make an appointment no sooner than three months before the start of my university classes. Since I live in Michigan, the closest consulate was in Chicago, a place where I luckily know quite a few people (Greenheart Travel 💚). With my appointment date set, I got to work on the long list of things I needed to acquire.

National Visa Application

I got this from off of the consulate’s website and filled it out with some help from my program coordinator. This form needs to be completed in capital letters and with DD/MM/YYYY format. Once it was filled out, I glued one of my passport photos to it and made a copy.

Money Order

For the Chicago Spanish Consulate, the current fee for a student visa was $160. They do not accept cash or check so I went to my post office to get a money order. I paperclipped this to my application form.

Prepaid/ Pre-addressed USPS Priority Express Envelope and Disclaimer Form

This envelope is a bit pricey ($30 ish) but guarantees that your documents will be delivered quickly and safely. I put the consulate’s address on the “From” and my home address on “To.” The disclaimer form is found on the instructions form from the consulate and states that you are allowing the consulate to mail your passport with the visa back to you.

Original Passport and ID

A passport was something I luckily had already so there was no extra paperwork there. Keep in mind that generally, a valid passport is one that will not expire for at least six months after the date you leave the foreign country. I photocopied my passport as well as my university student ID, and my driver’s license. Be sure to bring your actual passport and cards to the appointment as well.

Two Passport Photos

I got these taken at the study abroad office on my university’s campus for $3, but you can get these taken at a lot of places like the post office or Walgreens.

Original Hardcopy Acceptance Letter, Evidence of Funds, and Proof of Health Insurance

Since I am going through a study abroad provider, this was all taken care of and sent to me.

All three of these needed to be in Spanish or have a translation. The acceptance letter was to prove I was enrolled as a full-time student, the evidence of funds was to assure that I would be able to pay for my program, and the proof of health insurance was to cover any medical fees I might obtain during my stay. I made a copy of each of these forms.

Medical Certificate (For stays over 180 days)

On the consulate’s website, this is one of two additional forms to print out for stays over 180 days. I just made a normal appointment for a physical and brought in the paper. This form states that you are in good physical and mental health and do not have pre-existing conditions. There was a little confusion at my appointment as the form had a Spanish translation of what it said in English that needed to be stamped and signed as well. Because there wasn’t a translator in my doctor’s office that day they wouldn’t stamp it (surprising for a town that has a significant Hispanic population), so I had to come back the next week when the translator was in. I made a copy of this form.

FBI Background Check with an Apostille (For stays over 180 days)

This document was definitely the most frustrating and tiring of them all. It began by going through a service called Accurate Biometrics (there are a few to choose from) to get my fingerprints scanned and sent to the FBI to run the background check. This was relatively easy as I made an appointment online then went into a FedEx office for the scan. It cost about $40 and took just about ten minutes. My results were sent to me the next day through my email.

This is when it became difficult. I needed to get an Apostille of the Hague Convention (this is a kind of “stamp” that makes the document internationally recognized) issued by the US Department of State in Washington DC. I hadn’t received any direction on what this was or how to get it so I emailed my program coordinator and went on the government website. Since I had a little over a month until my appointment at the consulate, I decided not to go through an expensive apostille service and just send it to the Office of Authentications myself. In my envelope, I needed to include my FBI background check, an apostille request form (called a DS-4194), a check for $8 (that was the fee for my document), and a pre-paid addressed USPS envelope for them to send me my document back.

I had read that this would take about 10 or 12 days. When it got to be around that point, I called the office to check my document status. After waiting about 20 minutes on hold, they told me that I was not in the system and that it must be in their mail room still being sorted. I knew I should’ve gotten tracking for this envelope… I called back multiple times over the next couple days and got the same response every time. I started to panic a little as my visa appointment quickly approached. With an urge from my study abroad coordinator, I swallowed my pride and contacted an apostille service. Because I didn’t have much time left before my appointment I was forced to get the “rush” service which was about $300 altogether.

With $300 drained from my bank account, but a bit more peace of mind, I waited for my last document to arrive. It came by mail with 3 days before my appointment. Because this also had to be translated into Spanish, I went through the company One Hour Translation. With my FBI background check and the Apostille, it was around $45 and was sent back to me within 50 minutes. After I received these last forms, I compiled everything into an envelope and waited for my appointment.

But you’ll never guess what showed up in the mail the day before my appointment…

My ORIGINAL FBI background check with Apostille. Yes, the one I DIDN’T have to pay $300 for… My only advice is – buy tracking for your envelopes.

The Appointment

On the day of my appointment, I woke up pretty early to catch a train from Michigan City, IN to Chicago. I got to the consulate a bit early; because there wasn’t a sign in sheet, I sat down and waited to be called. Once called up to the window, I handed over all of my documents and passport. The official checked them all and handed back the originals (to be used while in Spain) and kept the copies. All that was left to do was give him my envelope and disclaimer form. This appointment took no more than 5 minutes. He even thanked me for being so organized and following the instructions!

To be honest, this process was probably one of the hardest and most mentally taxing things I’ve ever had to do. However, I know I truly am one step closer to experiencing new changes; changes that will introduce new people, insights, and ideas to my life.

This post is an example of a student’s perspective of applying for a student visa. This is not a step-by-step guide for applying for student visas. Each country (and each consulate) has different requirements. While Greenheart cannot apply for your visa for you, we provide detailed application instructions and support during the application process.

June 27, 2019
VIDEO: High School Exchange Students Interview Each Other

When deciding whether or not to study abroad as a high school student your mind is likely full of questions like “Will I make friends!?” or “What if I’m lonely?” While we are here to can support you as much as possible through things like the Greenheart Travel Atlas, nothing can beat hearing first-hand from two Greenheart high school study abroad students about their experience.

Ian is an American who studied abroad in France with Greenheart Travel. Paula is a Spaniard who studied abroad in the USA with Greenheart Exchange. How are their stories the same/similar? Watch to find out!

May 28, 2019
4 Ways Studying Abroad in High School Can Impact Getting Into College

At Greenheart Travel, we’re huge fans of studying abroad as a teen. Studying abroad in high school has enormous benefits for your confidence, language skills and personal growth.

But the truth is, high school study abroad isn’t only about emotional and personal growth. It also positively impacts your college applications, including how you explain why you’re choosing your major, applying for specialized scholarships, and proving you’re the right candidate for the school.

Snorkeling in Ningaloo Marine Park, Australia.

I know what you’re thinking: but what about the gaps on my transcript, or if I don’t get credit for the classes I take abroad?! (pro-tip: read this blog post if you’re worried about transferring credits!) Well I’ve got news for you! It’s okay. And those gaps are easily explained in essays and open-ended questions on the application.

Here are the top 4 ways studying abroad in high school positively impacts your college application.

1. You’ll Make Your College Application Stand Out

When I spoke to Kyle, an admissions officer at the University of Chicago, he said, “Anything that makes your application stand out is a good thing.”

Student surfing the Australian coast.

Study abroad in high school takes guts – and that’s a good thing. We’re not afraid to tell you it’s going to be hard sometimes, especially when it comes to facing language barriers, making new friends, and navigating a whole new culture and host family. But what do struggles mean? Growth.

When life gets hard and we learn to solve problems and overcome challenges, we reap the benefits across the board, but we also have a great story to tell – a story that is sure to help you write a heartfelt, powerful admissions essay.

Student on a bridge in Malmo, Sweden.

Plus, your high school study abroad shows you have the maturity, independence and adaptability to hit the ground running when you get to college, and there’s nothing that pleases an admissions officer more than feeling confident you’ll make their school shine.

“A lot of schools are looking for a diverse perspective, and international experiences lend themselves to that,” Kyle said.

2. Scholarship Applications and Interviews Will be A Breeze

After studying abroad, you’ll have some specialized and specific knowledge – and probably language skills – that will allow you to find specific scholarships for what you’re looking to study.

Two students in Salzburg, Austria.

For example, Sierra Winters, a current full-ride Robertson Scholar at Duke University, found her passion for food systems and refugees while studying abroad with Greenheart Travel in Austria, and came back to the U.S. to fundraise for the Syrian Refugee Crisis efforts. “It was a challenging experience, and it was one that I was passionate about, and it lent me the genuineness for which colleges and scholarship programs are looking,” she says.

Plus, after you’ve spent a semester studying abroad in a high school where you don’t know the language and have had to make presentations in front of tons of students…. Speaking about your experience to an interviewer will be a breeze!

Student with homestay parents in Spain.

3. You’ll Know What You Want to Study

Studying abroad in high school opens you to a world of possibilities that you’ve probably never thought of. Seeing what’s out there will help you hone in your skills and passions before you start college. The average college student changes their major several times before graduation and, while we love exploration, it’s better for your pocket and time to already have a clear sense of what you want to study.

Students in the mountains in Argentina.

Greenheart Travel High School Abroad in Argentina alum Erin Clark went to Argentina in 2013 thinking she wanted to study business. Once she got to Argentina, she realized she was far more interested in the travel industry. She decided she wanted to study hospitality and tourism, and “that changed what universities I was looking at, and that’s how I found Niagara University,” she explains.

Imagine how different her life would be now if she hadn’t studied abroad!

4. You’ll Have the Confidence to Say Yes to New Opportunities

You might have already heard the phrase “travel bug.” It means that once you get a taste, you want to eat the whole cake! All of us at Greenheart Travel have the travel bug, and we see that as a good thing.

Latern festival on a street in Japan.

Once you see the life-changing experience of studying abroad in high school, you’ll be inspired to seek out more new and different experiences, like volunteer trips, internships, discovering new places and meeting new people.

Climbing the waterfalls in New Zealand.

“[Study Abroad] put my foot in the door for any job I want – I’m always the first to apply for jobs and I’m very driven, and I go out and get things done,” says Clark.

That’s an attitude that will positively affect every aspect of your life!

March 6, 2019