“It was a life-changing experience for most people
who went,” she says.

Kelsey and Ridley studied for two weeks in Guadalajara earning
college Spanish credits.

“I really think I learned a lot there that I might
not have learned here,” Kelsey says.

Besides being able to learn another language, how does spending
time in a foreign country benefit students? Gerard Gatoux,
a foreign language teacher and a veteran chaperone of several
trips abroad, has some surprising answers.

“They learn a lot about themselves. And they value
life at home a little bit better. And they are better citizens
of the world,” he says.

In other words, kids travel hundreds or thousands of miles
away to learn a little more about home.

Rachel agrees: “I mean, I realized how much I really
cared about myself and not too many other people. The main
focus was me. And for a week of my life, I went down there,
and I couldn’t care less about me.”

“You go down there, and it’s really … it’s
so different,” Ridley adds. “They are happy with
what they have, you know, which isn’t much. And we’re
not. And we have huge houses and everything we need.”

In a foreign land, some kids start to think about things
they’ve never thought about before, like the difference
between what you have and what you need and what makes you
truly happy. Rachel’s perspective changed completely
when she met kids who didn’t have anything.

“We just learned how blessed we were by looking at
the children – how poor they really were and how happy
they were regardless,” she says.

If your children get the chance to study abroad, should you
let them go? Experts say for responsible kids, the answer
is yes – as long as you are informed.

“The teacher should establish good communication with
the parents to reassure the parents that it’s a safe
place to go. And just being abroad for one week, two weeks,
three weeks, really outweighs all the problems,” Gatoux
says.

Rachel says that her time in Mexico was worthwhile.

“It’ll make you realize how much you have and
how much you wish you didn’t have almost because you
take it for granted,” she says.

Studying abroad can
be an enriching experience for your teen, offering him or
her an exciting way to spend a year, semester or a summer.
More importantly, study abroad can open a window to the world,
according to the experts at Purdue University’s School
of Consumer and Family Sciences (CFS). Consider the following
benefits that your teen could reap from studying abroad:

• Becoming more independent
• Earning school credits
• Expanding his or her knowledge of the world
• Increasing his or her ability to budget money and time,
  to make decisions and to prioritize
• Learning about other people and cultures
• Making friends from other countries
• Making himself or herself more marketable in the workforce
• Seeing the United States from a different perspective
• Understand himself or herself better

If you decide that your teen is mature enough
to study abroad, your first task is to choose a safe destination.
The U.S. government monitors the political conditions in every
country, issuing travel warnings when necessary. Make sure
that you check the U.S. Department of State travel advisories,
which are available to the public free of charge, before arranging
a trip for your teen.

Once you have chosen a destination, encourage your child
to learn as much as possible about the country he or she will
be visiting. The Bureau of Consular Affairs offers the following
advice for helping your teen research his or her chosen destination:

• Read the state department’s consular information
  sheet for the country in which you plan to study or visit.
  A consular information sheet is available for every country
  in the world and provides an overview of conditions pertaining
  to travel in each country.
• Research the history, culture, politics and customs of
  the country in which you will travel and study, and learn
  how to respect the country’s customs, manners, rules
  and laws. For instance, various countries and cultures respect
  certain manners and dress codes. American students should
  also abide by these manners and dress codes as much as possible.
• Learn as much as you can of the language of the country
  in which you plan to travel or study. Learning basic phrases
  of the language can be helpful, and it indicates a willingness
  on the part of students to make an effort to communicate
  in the language of the country.
• Learn about the local laws abroad and obey them. Remember,
  while in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws!

As a parent, you play an important role in helping your teen
prepare for his or her trip abroad. The experts at GoAbroad.com,
an international education and alternative travel database,
offer this checklist for ensuring that your teen enjoys a
safe and productive trip:

• Get your teen a passport:
  Your teen can apply for a passport at post offices and county
  and municipal offices. Apply several months before your
  teen plans to leave, especially if he or she needs visas
  from foreign embassies. Your teen must apply in person if
  he or she is obtaining his or her first U.S. passport, if
  the old one was lost or stolen or if he or she has an expired
  passport issued more than 12 years ago. Otherwise, your
  teen can renew his or her passport by mail. To apply for
  a passport, your teen will need to complete application
  form dsp-11, which you can pick up anywhere you can apply
  for a passport. When your teen applies, bring proof of U.S.
  citizenship, such as a certified birth certificate, a naturalization
  certificate, a consular report of birth abroad, a previous
  passport or a certificate of citizenship. You must also
  bring proof of your teen’s identity, such as a driver’s
  license, a current student or work ID or an old passport.
• Have your teen apply for a visa:
  Do some research and find out if your teen’s country
  of destination requires a visa. If so, what kind of visa
  will he or she need? Sixty percent of the world’s
  countries require visas for any length of stay. Apply early
  for visas – processing time varies widely.
• Get your teen’s shots updated:
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the
  most up-to-date information regarding vaccinations and shots.
  You should also consult your teen’s doctor.
• Ensure that your teen has a student
  ID: International student IDs provide your teen with
  discounts at museums, for youth admissions and for fares
  for transportation. In many cases, your teen’s ID
  from his or her school will suffice. The additional benefit
  of an international student ID is the travel insurance,
  which usually includes minimal accident, health, repatriation
  and medical evacuation insurance.
• Give your teen a phone card:
  Do a little research and find out how your teen will be
  communicating with family back home. Phone cards are great,
  but they don’t always work. You might want to look
  into online options, such as email and voice mail.
• Make sure that your teen is insured:
  In addition to the basic coverage provided by the international
  student ID, you should take additional comprehensive travel
  insurance for your teen. The coverage should include medical
  evacuation and repatriation.
• Develop a budget for your teen:
  Consider the in-country costs before your teen leaves.
  You should develop a budget with which your teen can stick.
  Consider the costs of optional excursions, gifts, school
  supplies, Internet access, in-country transportation and
  general living costs.
• Ensure that your teen packs light:
  Your teen won’t need makeup in Nepal or probably won’t
  use a baseball glove in Botswana. Research your teen’s
  destination in advance, find out what kind of items he or
  she must bring and find out what items he or she can purchase
  cheaply at the destination.

Bureau
of Consular Affairs
GoAbroad.com
Purdue
University School of Consumer and Family Sciences
U.S. Department of State