What are your feelings on foreign exchange student programs?

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   figmentposted 13 years ago

   This forum will be linked to my hub.  So please respond... your comments will be very appreciated.  Thanks

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      Kylo88posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      my sister Venny came to live with us in 2000. she has been a close member of my family ever since. i've also had several friends who are exchange students. i love the program. while i was in Ireland i was actually accused of faking an american accent because i wasn't fat or stupid. i think the program give ppl a better view of Americans for one. lol. also my brother went to Japan and he had some questional views  of them before he went. they were all gone when he came back. it also gives young people a chance to travle and be more independent. personally, i loved the time away from my mother! lol XD it's a great program without which i would have never met my sister, or traveled all over Europe last summer.

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   recommend1posted 13 years ago

   Any cultural exchange is good - opening young people's eyes to the real world, that is nothing like their preconceptions, is an essential building block for cultural bridge building - and cultural excahange generally is the best defence against wars etc.  at learningchinaholidays.com we offer cultural and language holidays - especially suitable for students.   If you are making a hub around this topic you might want to look us up to see how it works.

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      Kylo88posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      exactly. personally i dont see america as anything better than anyone else, but there are alot of peopl who do and they are the ones who reflect this country unfortunantly. my Mongolian friend was shocked to see that not EVERYONE here was as egotistical as the world portrays us to be. it's depressing to think that the rest of the world thinks we're jirks, but it's nice to see that exchange students are seeing that we are more than that, and even better that they spread that around to their friends and family when they get back home ^_^

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         recommend1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         This is exactly the point  -  it can only be good for society if people experience each other's cultures directly - what we think we know is a mixture of urban myth, media lies and political distortions.  What you say about the US is very true, most Chinese report back that the people are generally NOT fat, lazy and stupid, or terminally violent and aggressive !!  who would have believed that!
            BUT - If you see the movies they like to watch you can see why they would think that.  In the classroom here most 'foreign' teachers try to tell it like it is but the cultural mis-information from popular movies and contradictory news channels and political positioning make it difficult.  The best way is to go see for yourself, either way.

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   prettydarkhorseposted 13 years ago

   it is an experience which will widen your horizon and will make you understand the people in the area more.

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