Wordsmith Lane

Girlfriend Magazine: Have textbook, will travel: How to get a global education

Published in Girlfriend, September 2008. Copyright Sarah Ayoub 2008

If you want to discover the world, read on – we’ve gone global and nailed the ways to make it happen – geographical borders optional.

Brave New School: Foreign Exchange

If school’s getting a little bit on the dud side and you can’t wait to see the world, foreign exchange is for you. Run over a year or a semester, it involves travelling to one of many different locations around the world to study – living with a local family and personally experiencing their every day life.

“Cultural exchange allows you to learn a second language, develop a greater understanding about yourself and others, and meet new people”, says Barbara Ratusznik, Marketing and Communications Manager for AFS Intercultural Programs Australia. “And while it can be tough leaving your home at first, you end up becoming more independent and confident having experienced something so great on your own. In fact, most of our participants end up crying because they don’t want to come back home”.

If this sounds like your dream come true, chat to your school about what programs they offer, or visit www.afs.org.au. But make sure you investigate what impact it could have on your education and whether or not you’ll be credited for any study you do overseas.

Fun-funded Holiday: The Gap Year

“When school finished, I was not sure what I wanted to do”, says Olivia, now 25. “So I went to Barcelona, worked as a waitress, and travelled around Europe on my holidays. Not only did I have a fabulous time experiencing a rich part of the globe, but when I got home, everything in my life just fell into place. It’s like I discovered who I was meant to be”.

If school’s out and it’s time to move on, but you’re not exactly sure if Uni, Work or Tafe is for you, why not make like Olivia and go the gap year route? It may involve flitting between jobs and living quite frugally, but at least you’ll also get to flit between countries – making money, gaining new perspectives and learning a whole lot about the world around you (yourself included)!

Passport-free Enlightenment: Programs at home

You don’t need to travel the world to experience it, so if overseas travel is not a viable option but you still want to experience a different kind of life, look into community-run programs that allow you to learn about certain aspects of other cultures from your own backyard. Australia’s renowned for its diverse cultures, and community colleges regularly run cooking, dancing and language classes in their local areas, for very low prices. And with Australia being one of the most popular destinations for overseas students, why not put that spare room to good use and host a foreign student so you can both benefit from the exchange? Either way, the options are endless and entertaining, and you will definitely acquire the skills necessary to take that leap of faith into a destination and experience like no other.