The first week abroad is the most interesting one. It is when everything comes together; feelings, thoughts, missing family and friends, missing personal belongings and commodities, new foods, and everything is new. All this at once and at the same time you are expected to study the language, concentrate on how to improve it, socialize with the family you stay with and get involved with other students and locals.  How do we deal with all this?


The more you know about what to expect, the better you are going to handle it. I hope to detail every feeling I have experienced during my times abroad to help you as much as possible.

Upon your arrival to the airport in many of our programs you can choose whether to get picked up from the airport or not.  If you have never traveled before then this is certainly a good option for you. If you have traveled before but are going to Latin America, then this is also a great option since you want to avoid all risks upon your arrival with all your personal belongings on you all at once. 

Arriving to Europe is completely different since public transportation is very good and there are normally maps available for tourists or posted on the walls. As soon as you arrive just look for the tourist information booth and ask for a map.  Don’t forget, check http://maps.google.com for your address.. you might find it there!

Once you arrive to the host family, you will be surprised by the home, the decoration, their family pictures, how organized or unorganized they are, and will have your room to adapt to.  Should you stay in your room or socialize with the host mom? Should you go to the living room or stay confined to your room? Through all my travels I have found that the more social you are with the family, the quicker they and you get used to each other and the easier everything gets. The more questions you ask and the more interest you show, the more excited they will be to show you about their customs. Don’t be shy, ask about everything and anything you see different and this will help you integrate yourself to the family.  It is OK if you are tired during your first night and you want to go to sleep early, just make sure you let them know and they will be very understanding.

On Monday the family will make sure you know how to get to school. They will either accompany you or draw you a map of how to get there. Number one key is to pay close attention and “try to read” street signs while you get to school. Little by little you will get used to seeing them and will know your way around. Even if you are not good with directions, streets on the way to school will be a good reference to you.

In school you will be greeted and taken together with the rest of the new students that have arrived during that weekend and you will take the placement test. If you where a beginner you won’t need to take a test, you start from the very beginning. After the test you will have time to introduce yourself to other students and meet all the newbie’s. Once everyone has taken de test, someone will show you around, talk about specifics about the city you are in and will answer any questions you have about the program, the family or activities. Make sure you clear all your questions at this time; no question is out of place since you are new. After you are assigned a course you will start a class right then unless you where assigned an afternoon class.

Notice you are probably given a calendar, a list of activities or there are activities published on a poster board within the school. These are activities organized during the week and weekend which you may participate in.  Some activities you have to sign up in advance for… make sure you do so.  Activities are a great way to meet new people and practice the language with the guide or teacher that goes with you.

At the end of the day you will feel very tired and you will wonder why!  If you have more than a 4 hour time difference than your home town you will think this is the main cause of it. Remember, your brain is working every second you are there, this is also it. This is normal and gets better as time goes by.

If you go to Europe or South America you will also notice that dinner time is very late; normally after 9:00 pm. How do you get through the day? Just make sure you have a snack at around 4 or 5pm. This meal is sometimes called:  “la leche” or “el te” and is a must in countries who have late dinners.

In regards to your language course, the first week you are there is a process of adaptation. If you have studied before it is a refresher for you and you will remember about when you used to learn it.  You will have to get used to the course material, the teacher and his/her method of teaching.  At the end of the first week you will start assimilating what you are learning and the rest of the weeks are all productive weeks. This is the reason why we always recommend to travel for at least two weeks but we always say, 1 week is better than nothing.**