Page 9 - euroguidance-insight-newsletter-2016-autumn

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things aren’t dangerous, only dif- explaining it to someone else, says and reflect on their experienc-
ferent, Grønskei says. Grønskei. es, which is what the exchanges
are all about
AFS has a saying: It is not good She reminds us that the students
or bad, only different. are young, 15 to 18 years old. –I feel sorry for a lot of parents,
because when the kids are hap-
Language is a bonus – They are not going to be happy py they don’t hear anything but
– You say that language is not at with everything all of the time. They as soon as they have a bad day
the top of the student’s list of ap- would not be at home either, would they involve the parents. Grøn-
preciated learning outcomes. Do they? Having a boring day in Argen- skei says.
we have to change our percep- tina could very well be a good sign,
tions of why young people should meaning that that you have adapt- There are big cultural differenc-
study abroad? ed and become part of daily life. It es in opinions and upbringing,
– Not necessarily. When we is a reality check. according to her. AFS has strict
look at what motivates them to recommendations.
go abroad in the first place it is; Parents who interfere – No parental visits, as we don’t
language skills, becoming inde- – The role of parents has changed want them to be too involved.
pendent and learning about a over the years. You describe more And the students need to re-
new culture. But then during the involvement and frequent contact spect the fact that now they have
exchange and afterwards they between student and home. Why is a new family who decides. They
open their eyes to many other as- this happening? have to obey the laws of the
pects, so the language then feels country, the rules and norms of
more like a bonus they learnt in – This is a very tricky question, and the family too. So after a couple
the process, Grønskei says. we ask ourselves this every day. I of months, the girl that you sent
think that some parents today have away and who you know better
A boring day is a good day the tendency to be very much in than anyone else is no longer
- The language is just a tool for contact and also in control. And this the exact same person. That is
communication, it is always the continues while they are abroad a tough nut to crack for a lot of
hidden aspects and artefacts of too, and not always necessarily a parents.
a culture that becomes the es- good thing because it can give the
sential of the experience, says parents too much opportunity to
Grønskei. take control.

– When the students have done Grønskei and her colleagues some-
a whole year, lived with a family times see cases where the parents
and been part of the local com- have taken control of a situation
munity, they get an understand- when the student would rather have
ing of the culture in a completely been given the opportunity to han-
different way. I myself went to dle things on their own. Being able
Venezuela, but it took me many to sort things out on their own is a
years to reflect deeply upon what learning opportunity and gives the
I had really learnt, not to mention student the opportunity to learn