Category Archives: study abroad

parenting, study abroad

5 Reasons to allow your college-bound kid to study abroad

images-2Whenever it’s time for a child to go to college, it can already be hard on the parents. After all, it’s been 17 years (give or take a few months) of them living at home and relying on their mom and dad for their daily needs. So, when it’s time for your son or daughter to graduate from high school and they bring up the fact that they’ve been thinking about not only going away for school but studying abroad, it’s understandable why you might be hesitant to go along with the program.

However, there are actually benefits that come with a student making this kind of commitment and so if your child does present you with this option, we have provided you with five reasons why you definitely should consider letting your student study abroad:

  1. It’s a great way to see the world. As adults, we know how easy the demands of everyday life can keep us from doing some of the things that are on our own wish lists. College is the perfect time for a young person to get out and see the world by experiencing different kinds of cultures including food, music and architecture. It will create lasting memories for the rest of their lives.
  2. It’s an easier way to learn another language. Without question, it is professionally beneficial to be bilingual and one of the easiest ways to learn a second language is not by sitting in a classroom but being in a city where it is spoken fluently.
  3. It can actually enhance your degree. When a student goes overseas to study for a semester or two, there’s a pretty good chance that they will be able to take courses there that are not afforded to them in the States. This means that they may be able to earn a few more credits. Also, it helps to make their academic resume that much more attractive when it comes time to seek out internships and a full-time job.
  4. It gives broadens their employment eligibility. There are several studies that indicate that only about 5 percent of Americans ever go to another country to study on a college level. That said, with the job market in the States still as unstable as it is, studying abroad expands your child’s ability to be able to land a job following graduation. Being in another country is a way for them to not only make new friends and meet new professors, but to also make international connections; ones that they may be able to use for years to come.
  5. It matures them. Say that your child is enrolled at Ohio University, they are living on campus and it’s a couple of hours away from your house. Just by spending time in a different environment, they are going to grow up and mature in many ways. But when they are in another country, thousands of miles away, it forces them to have to mature at an exponential rate because they have to learn how to be independent in so many ways. Studying abroad teaches them how to manage time, money and other resources in a way that nothing else can. A child who studies abroad doesn’t just take classes in another country. They learn about a whole new way of life and that better prepares them for “the adult world” once they return home.
I completely recommend study abroad programs. If your student is interested, allow them to pursue this path while in college.
Guest Posts, study abroad

Vonage answers the call for parents and students

This is a PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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Parents and students have long been looking for ways to stay in touch during the college years that were both economical and convenient. Vonage has developed a new app that meets both those criteria, while providing superb call quality and availability to all devices.

Can you imagine a future where you and your student’s smartphone comes with unlimited data, but without a calling plan? Living in this brave new world doesn’t mean you have to abandon voice communication. The new Vonage Mobile app for iPhone and Android brings this new reality closer with free worldwide talk and text to all other users of the app. Whether your phone is connected over 4G, 3G, or Wi-Fi, your entire address book is only a tap away. Just remember that calls still use a portion of your data plan.

Vonage Mobile certainly isn’t the first smartphone app to provide free calling and text messaging from mobile phones, so what make this different? Unlike Skype for iPhone and Android, which maintains a separate address book, Vonage Mobile integrates your existing address book –  which means free app-to-app calls and text messages are available without needing to reconnect with people who already provided contact information. And the Vonage Mobile multi-invite function lets you invite anyone (or everyone) from your contact list with one simple text. Skype requires you to search for users and invite each person one at a time.

Vonage Mobile doesn’t limit calls to people with the app, or even to people who have a smartphone. You can call direct from Vonage Mobile to virtually any phone number on the planet. You can dial internationally without needing to activate special services with your mobile carrier. And most importantly, you can do this with the address book on your phone and your existing mobile number.

There is a cost associated with calling phones directly, but according to Vonage, the app offers international calling with per-minute rates that average 70 percent less than major mobile carriers and 30 percent less than Skype. This savings estimate is based on per-minute rates to the top 50 countries called. Billing is also more convenient, with payment integrated directly into your iTunes or Android Market account, instead of maintaining billing in a separate login.

Vonage combines exceptional call quality with an integrated phone experience to offer a more complete calling solution.  Unlike other free voice apps, which often echo badly or sound like you’re talking on tin can, when calling app-to-app Vonage delivers what they call ‘high-def’ voice quality, which is much better than a standard cell phone call.

To see a demo of the app, go check out the “Magic of Vonage Mobile” video on YouTube at the following link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaRcnY1xZxM

Here is a quick feature recap:

  • Free domestic and international calls and texts to anyone with the Vonage Mobile app.
  • When calling a landline or phone directly, you get international calling with per-minute rates averaging 70% less than major mobile carriers and 30% less than Skype.
  • In-app credit purchases are tied directly to your iTunes or Android Market account.
  • Inviting multiple people right from your address book via SMS or email is easy.
  • Vonage Mobile automatically identifies contacts who already have the app.
  • Your mobile number double as your caller ID (so your friends won’t be surprised by an unfamiliar app-assigned number)
  • Works on Wi-Fi and 3G/4G worldwide.

If your student is planning a study abroad experience in college or traveling abroad over the summer for an internship or volunteer opportunity, you can stay in touch easily and give yourself and your student some much needed peace of mind. This free calling app gives parents and students the BEST option for international travel.

If better call quality to any of your existing contacts isn’t enough to make you try out Vonage Mobile, there’s just one more thing you should know. Vonage is currently offering free calls from virtually anywhere in the world to the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico. There are a few circumstances where free calling may not work, like business calls, premium and special service numbers, and satellite phones, but for the most part, free really means free. You also need to stay under 3000 minutes per month, but who talks that much anyway?

Download Vonage Mobile now and check it out on your iPhone or Android phone. Invite your family and friends so you have someone to text or call, then let us know what you think.

 

Guest Posts, study abroad

Projects Abroad’s Volunteer Opportunities for Students

 

Now is the time when parents ask their high school and college-aged kids, “What do you plan on doing with your summer?”

Instead of choosing to spend their summers lifeguarding or in an unfulfilling office internship, students are opting to spend their summers making a difference in the global community by volunteering abroad. Projects Abroad, a leading international volunteer placement organization, offers a wide variety of summer internship opportunities and special two-week high school programs in developing countries around the world.

An ideal option for college students – those who have decided on a course of study and those who haven’t – is our summer internship programs. Most projects require no prior background in the field, and offer students a valuable cross-cultural learning experience that will not only leave them with lasting memories, but will also beef up their resumes and attract future employers.

Summer Internships

Projects Abroad offers more than ten types of summer internships in disciplines like medicine, journalism, law and human rights, business and veterinary medicine, in over 20 locations on five continents.

The Medicine and Healthcare internship is a great choice for students interested in pursuing a career in general medicine, physical therapy, midwifery, dentistry, nursing, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Interns work closely with doctors and medical staff in hospitals and clinics, and are considered to be very valuable assets, especially because resources in developing countries can be somewhat inadequate.
Depending on the project they choose, our medical interns typically all have a slightly different experience. Take dentistry internships for example. Our volunteers in India work in clinics in and around the city of Madurai, while interns in Argentina are placed in a large hospital in Villa Allende, and interns in Mexico work in smaller dental practices in Guadalajara. Regardless of the placement though, we welcome interns of all qualification levels – from high school students and medical school students to skilled professionals.

Another popular option for students is our Business internships. They are ideal for anyone looking to acquire hands-on experience and professional skills in an international business setting. We know that our interns come to us in all different stages of their professional careers, which is why we tailor business internships to suit the individual, since skills, prior experience, and personal interests are directly relevant to the placement. The positions in this field vary, but all offer challenging and fulfilling work experience in the business sector. Just as with the medicine internships, each business placement has a unique work setting and requires a certain skill set from volunteers. Volunteers with business internships in Shanghai, Madurai, Chisinau, Ulaanbaatar and Cape Town may work in a high rise building with all of the latest technologies, or be placed in a smaller company that operates without large resources.

Volunteer projects

Though our internships are offered to volunteers of all levels, high school students ages 16-19 may find a two-week summer special to be a more viable option. We created the two-week summer projects especially for this age group that combine full-time project with an enjoyable half-way point weekend excursion. These exciting projects involve students working with their peers in the fields of Archaeology, Care & Community, Diving & Marine Conservation, and more. Many parents are interested to know that select two-week specials may provide escorted flights from New York – JFK with a Projects Abroad staff member.

Our Inca & Archaeology Project in Peru is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Volunteers work outdoors in the beautiful Andes Mountains and help with archaeological activities and community work. On the weekend, they make a special trip to see Machu Picchu and other world-famous sites. Across the world in Nepal at our Care & Community Project, students work in an area rich in ancient temples, culture, and tradition. Students spend two weeks working in an orphanage or school, playing with children and helping to renovate and decorate buildings. Just as exciting as the others, our Diving & Marine Conservation Project in Thailand allows students to observe the stunning coral reef, assess its damage and help conserve the ecosystem. There are over 40 options to choose from in total in 22 destinations.

With the exception of the two-week high school summer specials, all of Projects Abroad’s programs offer volunteers the flexibility of choosing a start and end date. Our staff prides themselves on the quality of service we offer volunteers from the moment they call until the end of their trip and beyond. Our volunteers (and parents of volunteers) can rest assured that each of the countries we work in has at least one Projects Abroad office with full-time employees who are trained in our head office.

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This guest post was contributed by Thomas Pastorius, Jr. Our website offers a ton of great information on all of our projects, costs, safety and more. www.projects-abroad.org.

study abroad, Uncategorized

Why You Should Encourage Your Teen to Study Abroad

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Students who study abroad will often tell you that their experience living in another country changed their lives. Being one of those students myself, I believe them.

Studying abroad has a tremendous number of benefits – both personal and academic. The exposure to a different way of life often serves as a catalyst for students to discover what they are passionate about. It can also immerse them in a foreign language, enhance their resumes, and prepare them to live in a world that is increasingly multicultural.

On a personal level, studying abroad is a great way for students to learn how to adjust to new environments, make new friends and experience a country’s culture firsthand.

If your child is interested in studying abroad, encourage them! As scary as it may be to send them off to another country, the benefits of living and studying in another country are well worth it.

Studying abroad can help your teen:

1. Get a Job

Students can add significant value to their resumes simply by studying abroad. In the competitive market of entry-level jobs, most resumes look more or less the same. The interest in multiculturalism that studying abroad suggests can make your teen’s resume stand out from the pack. It also shows your teen’s ability to adapt to a new environment and take on new and challenging situations – all green flags for potential employers.

2. Learn Another Language

Particularly for students who want to master another language, studying abroad is a great opportunity. Sitting in a classroom and listening to a lecture is one thing, but being immersed in a culture that speaks that language is completely different. Having to learn how to read street signs, ask for certain products in supermarkets, and make small talk with new friends certainly ups the ante for language learning.

3. Meet New People

Studying abroad will undeniably expose your teen to many new people and help open his or her mind to the unfamiliar. Getting comfortable with meeting new people has both professional and personal benefits. It will not only come in handy when meeting new classmates and coworkers, but also help him or her to have a more inclusive and diverse group of friends.

4. Get Inspired

Many students go abroad having only a vague idea (or even no idea whatsoever!) of what career they would like to pursue. Studying abroad can change that. Students often are inspired by something they encounter abroad, like a community project building schools or a behind-the-scenes look at a theatre performance. Sometimes, they simply fall in love with the thrill of traveling. These inspirations can move your teen to pursue a specific career.

Studying abroad is unlike anything else in providing students with a unique and unforgettable experience. Whether your teen spends a semester living in an ancient European city, a year helping to build housing in Africa, or a summer sailing the world, studying abroad will expose him or her to a unique and previously unexplored world.

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Today’s guest blog post is from Polina at University Language Services (@CampusCommons). ULS  specializes in helping students make the most of their college experience with step-by-step guides on how to choose a school, apply to college, and succeed on campus. ULS also offers college scholarships and information for students who want to study abroad. In addition, ULS has provided the translation of academic transcripts, diplomas and personal documents in more than 150 languages since 1983. Connect with ULS on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.