There are ways to study abroad without having to take classes at an international high school or follow your typical overseas program setup. The opportunity begins the moment you realize that the world becomes the classroom. Sitting behind a desk isn’t the only way to learn.
Here are 3 ways you can study abroad without a classroom component:
- Volunteer abroad. Programs like Global Leadership Adventures are teen study abroad experiences meshed together with leadership training and volunteering. This program for high school students offers you the chance to hang out with the locals and see how they do life; an average day for them is sure to look a lot different. Perhaps a new passion will be found that can change life as you know it, or a new artistic ability discovered like painting! Not to mention new skills acquired like playing sports, basket weaving, or cooking and the life skills that are acquired from few run-of-the-mill programs that offer study abroad for teens.
- Take photos. Be sure to have your camera ready to document all of the incredible times that you are about to have. Photos are an intimate way to connect with a community and a culture, and they don’t require sitting behind a desk – in fact, it’s exactly the opposite: photography forces you to adapt to the outside world, to meet people, and to capture the world around you in a way that is sensible to those who view your photographs afterward.
- Join hands-on workshops. Learn a trade that is integral to the community or culture that you’re visiting. You’d be surprised at how powerful working with your own hands can be in telling you the story of a place and its people. Whether you’re learning the art of chocolate-making or the proper way to build foundations, you’ll take home a useful skill and a new understanding.
Original article contributed by Samantha Watkins
