DD14 desperate to do MONTH long exchange to USA - would you allow?

[TheLuckyMrsPine]

DD goes to a school (UK) that has just been bought by an International School chain. They offer month long exchanges with other schools in the partnership. DD is desperate to do an exchange to Louisiana, USA.

I am terrified but don’t want my anxieties to hold her back. She would be staying with a student in their home. She would have to do the flight alone. I have tried to talk her into going to France or Spain but she’s not interested.

Would you let your daughter go?

Please please let her go. This is an amazing opportunity for her and I would have LOVED it at her age. I always wanted to live in America and never got the opportunity but this experience would really have helped me to decide whether it was a good idea or not. The school sound like they have the safety aspect covered. Let her do it

I did this at 14! Slightly different set up though, a group of 7 of us (all staying with different families) and a teacher flew out with us and stayed for a long weekend to make sure we all settled. But it was pre Skype, ubiquitous laptops/wifi and iPhones days, so much harder to communicate.

I would say definitely do it. The one thing i would insist on though is that the school allocates a US teacher who - if there are any issues with the family - is her back-up option/safety net. So she has another adult looking out for her.

You DD sounds brilliant.

@zzzzz This is a totally different situation

Yes I would let her go. It’s a fantastic opportunity.

It's a totally different world now. When I was 14 you had air mail and broadband dial up - now you have social media and Skype to keep in touch.

Tbf, not all of the South is rednecks with guns praising Jesus so I would not focus on that and the American culture, geography and lifestyle is vastly different.

Reverse your thread and think how you would think if the other student's family were posting about you and their child coming to the UK.

For me it would depend on the particulars. What is the family like? Is this a month during summer break or term time? I wouldn’t worry about the plane flight or politics. Your daughter’s experience will be an intimate, personal one. Being with a family your daughter feels safe and comfortable with is key.

100% yes so long as there are other students from her school also going and staying with families so that she has some familiar faces. Otherwise, I’m not sure as it’s quite a long time if there’s nobody familiar around at all

There will not be other students from her school, but I am not concerned about that as she is exceptionally good at forming friendships.

It would be in spring term time, no school holiday crossover.

zzzzz this is not about politics. I would never go abroad if I based those decisions on that country’s governments.... for instance I feel strongly about bull fighting but would still go to Spain. I have also seen terrible racism in parts of France but still..... please do not hijack this thread by trying to turn into anti-Trump rhetoric.

My only concern would be the age of the exchange partner. It is more common to do an exchange in your junior year (equivalent to Lower Sixth) in the USA but much more common to be in Y8/9 here.

They will definitely be the same age, I have been assured of that. It is part of the international school exchange programme so the students are matched age for age so that they will be in the same classes at school.

Yes, is let mine go 🙂 Family will be suitably vetted and reasonably 'like minded' if their child is to do a similar exchange. Your child will be insured, so any medical event will be covered. Skye and FaceTime means you can be constantly in contact. My parents hosted exchange kids, I stayed with host families; I was always so well looked after and had such a great time.

Sounds a brilliant opportunity!

Depends on the safety etc, but don't see why not. They offered us Japan as an exchange when I was younger, bloody awesome.

Yes, but a month is longer than she thinks. She should give up something she really likes, like her phone, for a month so she knows what she's letting herself in for.
But yes I think she should go.

Then go for it. I would have let mine

Think sounds like a great opportunity as long as its affordable and say you could afford to fly her back early if she hates it.

Absolutely, sounds a wonderful opportunity and the school will be well used to organising these sorts oF trips. I went to the USA when I was 13 for 6 weeks, I did know the families I was staying with it so it was a little different but I had the most amazing time.

Would she not miss a month of gcse curriculum? Or because it international schools do they have the same syllabus?

Yes let her go I cant imagine ever saying no to something like that its not as if she has asked your permission to take heroin! This is an organised school exchange programme and the chance of a lifetime.

@Nico the way I read it it would be the spring term of year 9, so prior to starting GCSEs.
Op, only you know your child. Ds1 I would have said yes, ds2 maybe not so much. It does sound like a fabulous opportunity though.

I'd definitely let my almost teen go. Amazing opportunity.

Definitely! Anything that expands their horizons has to be a good thing, and it sounds like the arrangements are quite sensible.

DD1 did a 3-month exchange to France when she was 15, and it was tough at the beginning because she was in a normal lycee class and just had to pick up the French, but it worked, and ultimately led to her decision to study in France, so it had a huge impact. We're in Germany, and exchanges at 15 or 16 are absolutely normal. I don't quite get why boarding schools are so common in the UK but then people are so reluctant to send their kids on extended cultural or language exchanges, which are frankly far more useful. I

I would if she wants to go.over the years lots of children have done language exchanges for 4-6 weeks , often at 12 or 13. I think her age is gone and it will be a fantastic experience.