Foreign Exchange Student Program in the Netherlands?
I'm 15 and want to be a foreign exchange student next summer (I'll be 16 by then). I want to go to the Netherlands because I've heard great things about it and also because of all of the pipe organs there (I'm an avid organist), but I have a few problems. The first is I don't know the language because the only languages I can take are French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Arabic. I hear the Dutch speak really good English, but I wonder if there is a language requirement. Secondly, I want to go in the summertime for 3 months, but my dad says exchange students can only go during the school year and for 4 months. Is there a program that offers summer programs? Also, I am homeschooled and therefore not with any public or private school program. Can I still be a foreign exchange student? What programs will help me? My friend also wants to come with me (she is not homeschooled and also doesn't speak Dutch). Can we go together and stay with the same family? Is there a way to choose where I want to be in the Netherlands? I really don't mind where I go in the end, but I'd really enjoy the Dutch countryside. My parents are a little uncomfortable about my request to going to the Netherlands because they think the Dutch are weird. Can anyone who's been there tell me about their trip and what Holland and the Dutch are like and how I'd live there? Any tips about foreign exchange student living? Thanks so much!
Netherlands - 3 Answers
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1 :
Yes we are very weird. Stay away if you can!
2 :
Ok since you don't have any answers yet then I will try to give a little bit of help where I can. Language - English is spoken at a reasonable level thoughout the country and in some area's & families to a very high level. If you can find an exchange program (more later) then chances are you would not be expected to speak Dutch anyway Summer/term time - to be honest all the exchange programs I have ever heard of are all term-time and education is part of the total experience. In my opinion there would not be enough Dutch families wanting to take on someone for 4 months over the summer for the simple fact that it's summertime and most people take off on holiday anyway Programs - well I only know exchange programs for college/uni level only and non for school or home-schoolers. There is a section on Yahoo Answers for Studying Abroad that I have sometimes answerered in, in the past. Sometimes you can get some good answers (but some are spam, so take care), so maybe you can ask this again here http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/index;_ylt=At6Ga05DvkJgtGtP5XmuCqTW5nNG;_ylv=3?sid=396546332 Your friend - well to be honest a good start might be for her to check out the situaiton with her school and ask for advice, sources etc and then you have a starting point. Oh and the last point - what do your parents base the opinion that the "Dutch are wierd"? Did they ever visit here? How many Dutch did they meet? I'm bemused how they came to this opinion! Wishing you much luck
3 :
There are some programs that require you have take a year or two of the language of the country you are going to and some have no language requirements. Yes there are programs that do summer homestays. I am pretty sure that you can still do it being home schooled, as long as you have documents or paperwork that proves your education. The Netherlands is a very nice country. People ride bikes a lot to get places or walk. I went to Amsterdam, Den Haag, and Amersfoort. Amsterdam was nice.. a lot more crowded, I preferred Den Haag and Amersfoort it was quiter and cleaner. Arriving in Amsterdam was a breeze because the train station is at the airport. I also had the best yogurt I've ever had in my life there! Check AFS and your local rotary club if they do exchanges, it's a pretty lengthy process to get accepted into the rotary club but it is alot cheaper with them!
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