Posts Tagged ‘life abroad’
Sunday, November 1st, 2009
Marie is a French student aged 26. She decided to study in Nacel’s language school in Granada for 4 weeks. Afterwards, she accepted to give us a short interview to speak about her experience. If you plan to study Spanish in Granada with us, this is a must-read!
1 – Why did you choose to participate in such a program (language school) and what were your main objectives?
I chose to participate in this program because I wanted to improve my Spanish quickly. I have a diploma of International and European Law, and knowing foreign languages is important for what I’m doing, and I especially like Spanish. My objectives were to study again what I already knew and to reinforce my Spanish level. I found the application procedure well done and simple, the only problem was that it was in English (nb: Marie is not a native English speaker).
2 – Do you think you have reached your goals?
I think I have reached my goals.
3 - Speak about the school!
Regarding the school, I’m very happy, courses were of my level, teachers really competent, really attentive, really open. Teaching’s method was different with each teacher but adapted to students, and we were few in each class. The school was very well located since it is in Granada’s center, and was less than 5 minutes away from my accommodation. The team was very warm, timetables well done. All in all, very good!
4 - Speak about the accommodation!
The accommodation was nice, well located. The only negative point is that I was living with two American students who spoke a lot of English and very few Spanish. Also, their accommodation option was different since the landowner came twice a day to cook for them, which was not really enjoyable. I think it would have been more enjoyable to put people with same accommodation option, and not 2 people of same citizenship in a flat shared by 3.
5- How was the student’s life in Granada?
The school organizes several activities a week. Each time, at least one teacher accompanied us. For example, visits of the city, “rutas de tapas” o “las teterrias”. I really liked that a lot, especially the Albaycin district. Since we were not too many, it was easy to hit it off with other students, and I’m still in contact with almost all the persons I’ve met there.
6 – How was Granada?
I already knew Granada before going to that school and I really had a crush on the city, that’s why I asked for this destination. This city is really enjoyable. In my opinion, you really must not miss Albaycin district visit, see a Flamenco show, and visit “las Alpujarras”.
7 – How were Spanish people there?
Spanish people at school were very welcoming. I did not really suceed in meeting Spanish people outside of the school, furthermore I only stayed for a month. I really love the tradition of drinking a glass at night while eating tapas, which is cheaper than having to cook, and it is much more convivial.
8 – How do you consider this experience?
For me, it was a very positive experience. I would advise this program to others because I think that it is a really nurturing experience, on the cultural side, apart from the fact of learning or improving language skills. I’m only waiting for one thing: go back to Granada, maybe with this type of program!
9 – Do you have tips for future participants?
Only one advice: have a careful look at where the accommodation is located, because even if Granada is a small town, you don’t see that first, and I personally spend some time finding my accommodation. You really should not relieve on bus drivers, because they aren’t helpful at all (even school teachers have confirmed this).
Thank you Marie for your testimonial!
Tags: advices, food, fun, granada, language school, learn languages abroad, learn spanish, life abroad, spain, study abroad, Testimonials, tips
Posted in Language Travel Testimonials, Language Travel Tips, Tips to learn languages | No Comments »
Monday, October 12th, 2009
You are flying to Australia and will live with an Australian host family. You may feel a bit afraid since you don’t know what to expect of the family, or how to behave. Here are some general advices to help you get along well with your Australian host family.
Don’t go there as a tourist!
The whole point of a host family is to help you experiment the everydaylife of the country. It is really likely that your Australian host family will work and won’t have a lot of time to take you out!
Enjoy the time you will have with your Australian host family but don’t expect them to have so many time.
If you are going there with a group program, don’t go there to meet your friends: you will be in Australia to experiment the Australian life, so you wouldn’t benefit as much of the experience if you are always with friends from your country.
Don’t go there only to improve your English!
Your family knows you want to improve your English and will always be pleased to correct you when you are wrong. However, they wouldn’t understand that you have traveled to their country and live with them only for this. Share your own culture, try to be open. Also, if a member of the family or a child in the neighborhood is learning your own language, you would please him/her by challenging him/her sometimes!
Open yourself to your Australian host family!
Give your friendship to your Australian host family. Share your feelings with your family, but always pay attention to the vocabulary you are using, since some expressions like “I don’t care” or “It’s stupid” is a bit strong.
Your host mom and host dad will want to be your Australian parents: call them how they tell you to do, without hesitating!
Share your family expenses!
Even if you don’t have to, your Australian host family will appreciate small marks of attention: for example, flowers for your host mother, or a round of ices.
Also, if the family takes you out, always offer to pay for your part!
We hope these advices have been useful. Remember that a host that is open-minded, smiling, polite and generous will always go well with his/her host family! Share your experience in Australia with us!
Tags: academic year abroad, australia, cultural shock, food, Host family, language abroad, learn english, learn languages abroad, life abroad, tips, travel abroad
Posted in Homestay, Host family, Language Travel Tips, Tips to learn languages | 1 Comment »
Friday, October 2nd, 2009
Meals and hygiene are two important components of everyday life : if you are going to live in an American host family, these advices below may be very useful!
American Meals
There are usually 3 meals in the typical American day:
Breakfast
Taken around 8am, breakfast is usually coffee or milk, with toasts, butter and marmalade, or cereals with milks, and orange juice. This is a very important meal, don’t skip it!
Lunch
Usually taken between 12am and 1pm, it is a quick meal, except on Sunday: Hamburger, hot-dog… Usually, you have to help yourself out in the fridge or go to the local fast food.
Dinner (or supper)
The American family doesn’t meet often to take this meal. It can be a pizza or a hamburger everyone eats when hungry. However, more traditional families take a real dinner together, eaten between 6 and 8 pm, with salad, meat, vegetables, dessert…
Don’t be afraid if your family doesn’t offer to prepare your meals: they will tell you to help yourself out and you should not hesitate to do so!
On Saturday and Sunday, in most families, breakfast and lunch will be replaced by a lunch, a “big breakfast”, that will be taken around 11am. On these days, there will be a dinner like the other days.
American people eat a lot of beef or chicken meat, but usually meals are balanced. Since people usually eat a lot of snacks between the meals, you will have to pay attention not to eat too much.
You should at least try to taste everything that is offered for you. And always thank your hostess and congratulate her for what she has prepared!
About clothes
Hygiene is a really important matter in the US: take it seriously!
- In most families, there will be several washings a week: ask to your family when you should give your clothes to wash it, and even offer your help to do it since usually washing machines are easy to use there: be sure to have understood how the machine works first!
American people really take cleanliness seriously. They would be bothered if you or your clothes were not clean: pay attention to this point: change your clothes and take a shower everyday.
We hope this information have been useful: don’t hesitate to share your experience with us!
Tags: academic year abroad, food, Host family, learn english, learn languages abroad, life abroad, travel abroad, USA
Posted in Homestay, Host family, Language Travel Tips | No Comments »
Friday, September 18th, 2009
You are going to best hosted by an Irish or British host family, and you are a little bit afraid of what to expect? Here are some general advices about the behaviour that the family with expect from you, as well as general information about life in England and Ireland.
Bristish and Irish families specificities:
-In many families, there will likely be a pet. Don’t be disrespectful toward it.
-You are an ambassador of your country abroad so don’t forget to stay polite and have a perfect behaviour! For example, ask to the family before doing any action like switching on the TV, inviting friends…
-Ask to your host family what is the most appropriate time for you to take your shower.
-Usually British and Irish families host students on a regular basis. This allows to get a better knowledge of the family, even if the hosting is not always as spontaneous as when the family is volunteer.
-Always be polite and ask nicely to repeat if you haven’t understood something.
-Don’t contradict your hosts, this wouldn’t be decent. If the family organizes some activities for you, thank them!
-Sunday is a special day in UK. British people like to take it slow on that day: they go to the religious service, meet family or friends… Enjoy it and use this special occasion to get to know better your hosts! Lunch will be served later on that day, around 2pm. The traditional Sunday meal would be Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. At the end of the day, British people usually have sandwiches and cakes made for the occasion.
-Regarding religion, most Irish families are Roman catholic, whereas British families tend to be Anglican. Scottish people are generally Presbyterian, and the Welshs are generally Methodists.
About general life in England and Ireland:
-Whatever the season is, it is highly recommended to bring a cloth item to protect you from the rain. The general temperature is 15.5° (Celsius) in summer, and room are usually not heated a lot, so don’t forget to bring items to keep you warm!
-Banks are usually opened from 9.30am to 4pm. In big cities they will likely be open on Saturday, whereas in the rural areas they will be closed.
-Post offices are opened from Monday to Saturday, from 9am to 5.30 pm, except on Saturdays where they closed at noon.
-Shops are opened from 9am to 5.30 pm generally. It is recommended to keep your receipts so you won’t have any problem or misunderstandings while leaving a shop.
-Don’t forget that in the UK and in Ireland, people drive on the left side of the road!
-To be able to enter a pub, you have to be 16 years old at least. However, if your host family goes to lunch in the pub, you will be able to accompany them, even if you’re not 16. Pubs generally close at 11pm.
-Coin machines near the beaches always attract suspicious-looking people. Try to avoid these places. Also, clubs and pubs surroundings around close time are also a place to avoid.
-If you are travelling with a group of foreigners, try to avoid speaking loudly in the public transports. You would be targeted as an easy prey to thefts.
I hope these advices and information have been useful for you!
Tags: academic year abroad, advices, cultural shock, english, Ireland, learn english, learn languages abroad, life abroad, london, package, uk
Posted in Academic Year Programs, Homestay, Host family, Language Travel Tips, Tips to learn languages | No Comments »
Saturday, August 29th, 2009
Here are three other testimonials from Canadian students: one from Emma, who participated in an Academic Year Program in Germany, and two other from Kelly’s mother and Jennifer, who participated in our language courses in France.
”Student exchange program ‘wonderful’ experience” ( Joel Jacobson)
This article has been published in The Chronicle Herald from Nova Scotia, in September 2007, and is about Emma’s experience in Germany with Nacel.
Emma Reid of Halifax, Nova Scotia, participated in the Nacel Canada Academic Program (2006-2007). Upon her return, she says the experience in Germany was “wonderful‘. She continues to qualify there was an adjustment period for herself and her host family. Emma had minimum exposure to the German language before her departure.
“My schoolwork was impossible for me to keep up with, and my language problems weren’t helping me in any way. Then, one of her teachers in Germany turned things around. In one of my first German French Grade 11 classes, my teacher helped many of my classmates get to know me much better. He told us he had brought a newspaper article written about me. I was a little puzzled, considering the only newspaper article about me I could recall was the Great Kids piece written before I had even left Canada. He explained that friends of his were vacationing in Canada and were in Halifax the day the article was published. They saw that I would be attending the gymnasium school (in Trittau, near Hamburg) where my French teacher taught, so they brought the article home to him. He shared it with my classmates. Though it was a French lesson, I spent that entire class working on our English translating skills. They learned about my interests and background, a great way for them to get to know me, especially considering my poor German skills. It was a wonderful start to making friends.”
As the year progressed Emma’s German language skills greatly improved and her involvement in various activities also, turning it into a great success. Her host family enjoyed showing her their country, they travelled at all points of Germany. She misses the bakeries and enjoyed the directness of the people. ‘They don’t beat around the bush but say what they think,” say Emma. Now that she is back home, she feels because of her experience she could get along anywhere. “The experience was wonderful. I became much more independent. I’d recommend to anyone. I certainly opened my eyes and showed me people are not all that different. Yes, I was glad to get home, but kind of sad to leave my new friends, too.”
This is an email from the mother of Kelly, from British Colombia. She participated to our Language courses in France in 2005
” I just want to drop you a little note to say that Kelly’s trip to Lyon was outstanding. She loved Ludo (the Tutor) and she truly bonded with her French family. She is just full of stories and grand memories. She didn’t think that she actually learned much French from the classes but she certainly learned a lot from living in that environment - not only in comprehension but in her confidence to speak French and confidence in general. This trip further developed admiration and interest to learn more about the French and the French culture.” wrote Mrs. Sharp August 4th, 2005 via email
.
Kelly is currently in France, Academic Trimester Program in Boarding School September to December 2007 trough Nacel. She is happy with her weekend host family and the school. She is hoping to further her studies in Montreal next September.
Here are some excerpts from a letter to Nacel from participant Jennifer, living in Edmonton Alberta, and who participated in our Tutorial in France in 2005.
… “Overall, I gained experience and pleasure during my time in France-I enjoyed the tutor sessions (my tutor: Guilmette) immensely, and the excursions were excellent for learning about French history and culture”.
Jennifer continued to write ‘ I feel that I returned from France with a new sense of mind, and greater control over the French language. I can speak faster, and more fluently-although I’m nowhere near perfect-and I have had a glorious time reciting my many experiences to my friends and family.”
… my host parents “were very welcoming and accepting of my cultural differences, were always attempting to help me learn more about the French. My host-brothers also communicated in a proficient and friendly manner, as well-they were very welcoming.”
Did you like these testimonials? Don’t hesitate to share your experience abroad too!
Tags: academic year abroad, Add new tag, cultural shock, english, fun, Host family, International High School, language abroad, learn english, learn language, learn languages abroad, life abroad, study abroad, Testimonials, tips
Posted in Academic Year Programs, Homestay, Host family, Language Travel Testimonials, Language Travel Tips, Tips to learn languages | No Comments »
Monday, August 24th, 2009
You will find below the testimonial of 2 Canadian students who participated in Nacel’s programs! Discover how their experience abroad with Nacel was!
David, Academic Year Program in France
This testimonial has been published in Stettler Independent, a newspaper, in August 2005 and is about David’s experience in France.
“A different kind of education” (Laura Drake, reporter)
David of Stettler, Alberta spent an academic year in France (2004 - 2005), in the Brittany region as part of Nacel Canada’s Academic Programs. Though he chose to delay graduating from high school to participate in the program, David quotes ‘It was a great experience and I’ve taken a lot from it”. He does admit it took him about a month to adjust to the language, “I had a good vocabulary but putting it together so I made sense took about a month”. Though school kept him busy, he also found time to do some tourist things with his host family. Part of the program includes the participant be placed with a host family in the region. David describes his family as ‘very stereotypically French” for example, meals at home consisted of several courses. He also made lots of friends in France, whom he says he will likely visit when he returns to France.
Emma, Academic Year Program in Germany
This testimonial is an email received from Emma of Halifax, Nova Scotia, that she wrote us during her Academic Year Program in Germany. Emma participated in the Nacel Canada Academic Program during the year 2006-2007.
I’m happy to say that things are going much better for me here in Germany! The last time I emailed you I was requesting permission to go home to Canada for Christmas. Now that I look back at my last months here, I’m happy to have had the chance to experience a German Christmas, even if it was a little hard to be away from home. I’ve now gotten to the point where I’m into a comfortable routine and I look forward to going to school, seeing my new friends, and attending different activities here. Just like my Nacel handbook had said all along, it really does get easier!’
So, after reading these testimonials, are you thinking to be the next Canadian going abroad?
Tags: academic year abroad, advices, cultural shock, France, germany, Host family, International High School, learn languages abroad, life abroad, study abroad, Testimonials, tips, travel abroad
Posted in Academic Year Programs, Homestay, Host family, Language Travel Testimonials, Language Travel Tips, Tips to learn languages | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
Here is Ababacar’s testimonial. Ababacar, a young 26 years old French student, is currently participating in the Work and Study program in Canada.
The Work and Study program in Canada allows students to learn English in a carefully selected language school in Vancouver, and then to get some professional experience by working in a Canadian resort.
The Work and Study program is a 6 or 12 months program, and includes 6 or 12 weeks of in school language study, plus evening classes.
This is the perfect program for anyone wishing to discover Canada, but also wanting to get real work field experience!
When we interviewed Ababacar, he was beginning his Work and Study program in Canada, and was still attending courses in the language school in Vancouver!
Ababacar, would you agree to answer a few questions about your program?
It is with a great pleasure that I agree to participate to your interview. The school is cool, people are cool, the family is more or less cool, and I’m living with a Brazilian. This is a really great town, I’m having a crush!
Why did you choose to participate at this type of program (work and study)? Why did you want to improve your English? What were your objectives before departure?
I would lie if I’d say I have chosen this program only for the courses. I choose it because it would allow me to get money in addition to the courses. Regarding my objectives, before leaving France I wanted to do a theater school. I really want to be an actor, and now I want to stay in Canada to keep on studying there.
Speak about the school!
Courses are good. You are feeling at your ease upon your arrival, even if you’re shy. There are people from all over the world, a lot of Brazilians. Teachers are great, sometimes they speak quickly, but one, which I consider the best: Mr Hyde, I really want people to know he is the best, I succeed in understanding all the things he says, and I’m not the only one!
Nothing to say about the school’s location, it is in the heart of the city, many shops.
Courses are not boring! Why? There are a lot of breaks, and during these breaks you keep on learning since you speak English!
Thank you Ababacar! We hope you will enjoy the end of your stay!
Tags: advices, canada, english, Internships & Work Experiences, language abroad, learn english, learn languages abroad, life abroad, Testimonials, travel abroad, vancouver
Posted in Homestay, Host family, Internships & Work Experiences, Language Travel Testimonials, Language Travel Tips, Tips to learn languages | No Comments »
Friday, August 14th, 2009
Here is Angela’s testimonial, a young Romanian student who participated in our High School program in Japan when she was 15. Our Academic program in Japan allows students to live during one year in Japan. During the academic year, students are hosted by a Japanese host family and go to a Japanese high school.
My name is Angela Pugna, I am from Romania and I have participated in the high-school one year program in Japan. At the age of 15, I decided that I need a change in my life-style, as only staying in my hometown and going to high-school seemed not to be motivating me enough to reach my potential. I never thought seriously of moving to another country before, especially not at such a young age. Being the only child of my parents, made the thought of going abroad even more difficult in the beginning. I was though aware of the fact that just staying there will make no difference in my future.
At 15, I still didn`t know too much about the world, but I must confess I was quite wise actually because I never tried to pretend I knew anything. I admitted that there are millions of things I should learn about the world so I accepted the challenge. Soon after this, I ended up preparing to go to live for one year in a completely different culture, with different language and habits, different religion and views about life. I was feeling extremely scared, but also so much excited in the same time. I had though a huge will to learn about other countries, I wanted to see how people in other parts of the world are.
I heard a lot and read a lot about Japanese people before going. I did my “homework” and tried to learn the language a bit before my departure. It definitely helped, but the amount of knowledge I started to accumulate after arriving there is incomparable. Learning the language from scratch in Japan made me feel like I was born again. I had the chance to learn again not only a new language, but new feelings, new emotions. I have to say it was confusing, feeling scared and excited from the first step I made in the airport. If I think back of it now, I am probably glad for every single emotion I went through. 
There were times when I was missing my family, my friends, when I was not feeling integrated at all in the new community, when the language was too much for me and I thought no one can understand me. I many times wanted to give up, but it would have been the biggest mistake of my life. Especially the hard moments, made me a strong and mature young lady who was ready to build up her own future.
I decided that I had to stay for another year in order to fully accomplish my goals there. It was more like an experience of learning about people and understanding myself in a different environment. My host family helped me a lot in this process. After going over a few cultural shocks and misunderstandings, soon my host mother became my best friend, the person who would not only teach me about Japan, but about life as well. Still very young and having many dreams, my host mother represented my source of motivation for my future. In all this time, all the support I got from my home country was indispensible. Knowing that my program coordinator was there to help me anytime I needed (though he was in Romania) gave me the confidence of expressing my feelings.
Probably the hardest job was the one my parents did. I now understand that actually it was a huge sacrifice for them to let me go away, and I admire and respect them more and more since then. In spite of having to face the distance, our relation became stronger than ever before and every second of my time spent in Japan I knew there is someone in the other side of the world thinking of me and strongly supporting me.
Sometimes I am still wondering if it was the right thing to do, but there was no moment I felt any regret about going. Giving it a second thought, I realize it broaden up my horizons. It was not only a real eye-opener, but the experience of living in Japan gave me the strength to undertake further challenges and set higher and higher limits for my dreams.
Because of the time spent in Japan, I have now the chance to live in England, where I am doing my university studies and here I am, preparing again to go to Japan in a few months, this time encountering a harder challenge: to integrate myself as a young professional in the Japanese business environment. The thought that I did it once, gives me the strength to believe there is no reason I wouldn`t be able to do it again. And that`s how the experience of living in Japan helps me believe in myself, again and again.
Are you dreaming of studying in Japan like Angi? Contact us to get information about this program!
Tags: academic year abroad, Add new tag, advices, cultural shock, fun, Host family, japan, language abroad, learn japanese, learn language, learn language abroad, learn languages abroad, life abroad, study abroad, Testimonials, tips, travel abroad
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
You go abroad to learn a language but you are worry that you might not improve your language skills as much as you wish? Follow these simple tips below and you will see a dramatic language improvement!
1- Avoid speakers of your mother tongue. If you can’t, establish together a “must-speak-local-language-rule”. If one of you doesn’t respect this rule, he’ll have some pledge!
2- If you are a native English-speaker, it must be hard for you to speak the local language. Many people will want to test their English skills with you. Well, do the same, and answer to them in the local language!
3- Get acquainted with local people: there are many ways to do so, from activities, special classes like cooking, dance,…or social networks!
4- Do everything local: eat, read, shop, watch TV…! You will learn much vocabulary in doing so and will notice a dramatic improvement of your language skills!
5- Find a local “exchange talking buddy”: he/she will help you improve your speaking skills in his/her native language, and you will do the same with yours! There are many organizations offering such possibility in big cities!
6- Date a local! Ok, it may not be that easy, but hey, it’s the best way to get language improvement!
7- Try not to focus on your mistakes while speaking. Just speak out! If someone doesn’t understand you, he’ll help you! Don’t forget that you are here to learn, and that people know that and won’t judge you!
8- Try not to feel overwhelmed by cultural shock, but rather accept others’ differences. Otherwise, you may be subject to homesickness and isolate yourself from the vibrant learning environment around you!
9- Don’t be afraid to ask people to correct you! If you don’t know the word for something, just point it and ask (with a nice “please” and a big smile) how you should say it!
10- Finally, once back home, keep on working on the language or you may forget a lot! A good idea would be to get a subscription to a magazine you enjoyed reading while abroad, or buying online books of an author you have discovered there!
Do you have tips to improve languages abroad? Don’t hesitate to share it with us!
Tags: academic year abroad, advices, fun, learn english, Learn Italian, learn language, learn language abroad, learn languages abroad, life abroad, study abroad
Posted in Language Travel Tips, Tips to learn languages | 1 Comment »
Thursday, July 30th, 2009
So, you will be going abroad, but you are a bit anxious on what to do during your free time and how to take the most out of it? Stop worrying, here are plenty of ideas to enjoy your free time abroad!
1 – Before going, check how much free time you will have! If you don’t have many, select what you must absolutely see and what is not that important!
2 – Also, buy a guide of the city/country, they often offer ideas of activities or itineraries.
3- If you are in a language school, try to participate in the activities organized, since they are often cheap and interesting.
4- Try to discover the local culture: go to a bar, get acquainted with locals!
5- Please be sure to visit all cities’ must-sees, but don’t forget to discover typical, less-known places like a little, hidden restaurant!
6- Ask to locals if they can advise you about what to see or do. There may be activities you haven’t thought of!
7- If you love sports, try to book a ticket for a game during your trip! It will help you discover this city’s atmosphere from another point of view!
8- If you are in the city for a long time, take advantage of it to rent a car with friends and discover the countryside.
9- Take advantage of your stay abroad to take local cooking lessons! You can even sometimes book it in advance!
10- If you are abroad for a long time and love to help other, you can see if there are any volunteer opportunities…
This would be a great experience for you and also will help you get new local friends!
Tags: Add new tag, advices, english, food, fun, ideas, learn english, learn language, learn languages abroad, life abroad, study abroad, tips, travel, travel abroad
Posted in Language Travel Tips, Tips to learn languages | No Comments »
Saturday, May 2nd, 2009
When one goes abroad, especially for a long stay, he can feel overwhelmed by a strange feeling named cultural shock. This is not a fatality, and cultural shock can be fought! Find out how by reading these 10 advices!
1-First, you must know what culture shock is! As written on Wikipedia, culture shock consists of “difficulties in assimilating the new culture, causing difficulty in knowing what is appropriate and what is not”.
2-Read and inform yourself before departure! Try to get as much information as possible about the country. Try to speak with people who have lived there, browse the internet… Prepare yourself to what you have to expect!
3-Culture shock happens to many people! Don’t be afraid to speak of it to other foreign students or your family!
4-Try to see the cultural shock in a comic way. You could even create a blog or write in a diary about it. Just try to take it from the fun side!
5-Many people suffering cultural shock become introverted. Try not to behave like that. Always keep in mind that your situation is temporary, and that you will regret not having made the most out of your trip abroad!
6-Try to understand why people are different. Show an open mind as much as possible, even if some behaviours seem incorrect or rude to you considering your own culture.
7-Make friends, either locals or foreigners! It’s not that easy, yeah, but it will help you integrate in the local culture!
8-Be patient! If you try to integrate yourself, cultural shock will eventually vanish or become less important! Don’t expect it to be gone overnight!
9-Find an activity that you like and pratice it! This will help you air out your mind, and help you make friends!
10-Learn the language! Trying to learn your host country language will help your integration in the country!
We hope these advices will help you cope with cultural shock! Have you ever experienced cultural shock? Do you have tips to share with the community on how to prevent or fight cultural shock? Write us a comment!
Tags: cultural shock, learn languages abroad, life abroad, tips
Posted in Academic Year Programs, Language Travel Tips, Tips to learn languages | No Comments »
Monday, April 20th, 2009
Students’ safety while abroad is really important for us at Nacel. There are common mistakes one quickly learn not to do abroad, like driving on the right side in the UK. Please don’t even try it 
But for some other mistakes, a quick reminder could be great!
1-Not having insurance. If some problem should occur to you abroad and you don’t have any insurance, medical or other costs can quickly add up… Always have insurance!
2-Not getting acquainted with tips’ policy! In some countries, tips are not usual. But in others, it is felt as mandatory! Get information about a country’s tips’ policy before going!
3-Behave like an arrogant tourist. Don’t think your country or customs are better than the local ones. They are just different, try to see it with an open-mind!
4-Not be conscious of the way you must address someone. Should you be formal or not? Try to get information about that before your arrival too! You can offend someone acting in a way which is appropriate in your home country.
5-Not trying to speak the local language. Don’t assume people will speak your language or English (if this is not your native language). Try to speak their language, at least for the basics like “hello”, “thank you”…
6-Not being respectful of laws. Get information before doing anything you are not sure is legal. You wouldn’t want to end up in some creepy jail, would you? So be careful!
7-Going abroad with misconceptions. Try not have preconceived ideas, to be open minded and open to discussion. Even if someone tells you a place is not worth to see, go and make your opinion. Things are subjective!
8-Show off. Try to wear casual, not “look-at-me-I’m-a-foreigner” clothes, avoid to expose your properties of values like camera and jewellery. When there are many tourists, there are likely pickpockets too!
9-Going abroad without getting first hand information. Speak with someone who has already visited or lived in the country, check information about the country’s habits on various (not just one) website… For example, you can visit a website from worlwide expatriates ! Multiply your sources of information!
10-Finally, don’t forget that a big smile and a sincere apology can resolve many problems and misunderstandings. When you’ll think of that back home, you will most likely laugh about it and convert it into a funny memory!
I hope this article has been useful for you! What was your worst mistake abroad? Tell us about it !
Tags: advices, cultural shock, life abroad, study abroad, tips
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