High School Student Exchange Programs in Asia

My name is Lucy, and I had the incredible opportunity and privilege to go on a Dragons trip, specifically the China Language Intensive, in the summer of ’25. I truly believe that anyone who has the chance to do a Dragon's trip should go for it. Knowing what a great privilege it was, I can say it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done, something that will stay with me forever. The program is beautiful, raw, and so full of meaning. You get to connect with people and experience life in a way you never have before, and it stays with you. It’s impossible to choose a single “favorite” part of the trip, but the homestays were definitely a highlight. In the village of Nanyao in Lijiang City (Yunnan Province), I remember meeting my homestay mom and dad and feeling slightly hesitant at first. Despite the language barrier, their hospitality and kindness needed no translation. I felt right at home almost immediately. I made lifelong friends who feel like family, and I still have all their contacts. I cherish memories of playing soccer, cooking meals, and spending time with my homestay siblings; I think about them all the time. Kunming was amazing as well, an urban homestay full of energy, busy yet organized. I loved taking the Kunming Metro every day to and from Mandarin class and Independent Study. I even learned to play a traditional Chinese instrument, the guqin. My homestay parents were so sweet. One of my favorite memories is simply making dumplings with them, talking, heading down to the back entrance of the bottom floor to see kittens just outside the complex, and sharing family meals. Our instructors on this trip in particular let us do stipend meals often, a chance to practice the language, manage foreign currency, and spend independent time with your group, whether all twelve of us went together or split into smaller ones. Everyone was inclusive because everyone wanted to be there; the group was so tight-knit. Every meal felt special, even when it was just street noodles or hot pot (my favorite). My instructors, Rosalyn, Cy, and Martina, were incredible. They made me feel supported, inspired, and seen. I learned so much from them about language and culture, but also about perspective and slowing down, appreciating absolutely everything while you’re in a place that can feel new and, at times, intimidating. I carried my Canon camera everywhere (my neck still remembers it), but I’m so glad I brought it. The photos mean everything to me now; I look back on them frequently and fondly. This trip was especially meaningful because I was adopted from China. Returning as a young adult to learn, explore, and connect felt incredibly empowering. I even turned 18 on the trip, which was really fun. One of the biggest takeaways is how it helped me feel more connected to where I come from and deeply grateful for the people who shared their lives with me. Dragons changed the way I see the world. If you can do it, you absolutely should. It’s not just a trip—it’s an experience that will change you for the better. Be eternally grateful if you get the chance to go on one.

Actually, now I will be 3rd grade of High school and willing to apply University after getting High school diploma in Korea. I have nothing about Korean language so I just had few months in High school exchange program, it was quite new experiences, something was stupid because of lack of language issues. Now I can speak Korean much better than before and keep going high level. I moved another High school but still chat and rarely meet with Korean friends when I first came in Korea. It is good to know my Korean friends and people.^^

My study trip in Japan all felt like a wonderful dream. I learned so much about their culture, food, hobbies, and the people. They have amazing food and the people are so polite. My host family was amazing and we both loved to play volleyball and we played volleyball once a week at the gym! Overall I had a great time!

I had a wonderful time participating in this program. It was very well-organized and offered a variety of activities that allowed me to immerse myself in Korean culture. Each experience was thoughtfully planned, making it easy to engage and learn. I would definitely want to join this program again in the future!

I could not adjust well in China and not interested in study so my parents and I try to get better opportunities in Korea. Almost of High schools rejected me because not enough Korean language but VOYAGE Korea gave me a chance and persuaded many schools for me. NO I am a freshman in my High school and I so happy with my life in Korea. Everyday is lovely and curious and want to go everywhere if I can...haha!

I am Brent Smith. My son, Kyle，joined GAC summer high school language program in 2023. Like many other parents of a high school student, I was worried that first about our son being in Beijing. After my son finished the program, I am very happy to say that GAC has very safe and well-organized arrangement, all of the teachers both the university and through the one on one tutoring curriculum that set up from GAC were excellent. The host family was nice and took care of Kyle a lot. We are happy to recommend GoAbroadChina language programs for high school students in China.

Wandering the streets of Chengdu with my host sister, we created a game called 这是什么？or 'what is this?' as I knew almost no Chinese upon arrival. Throughout my six weeks in country I pointed at ingredients from the local market, signs advertising the newest tech in the city's downtown hub, and of course, the pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Panda Breeding all the while expanding my vocabulary and understanding of Chinese culture. By the end of my time in China with AFS I could order my favorite dumplings from a street cart on the way to school and even sang Beijing opera style for our program's closing ceremony! All of this was made possible with the support of AFS and the funding of the NSLI-Y program. My 6-weeks in China simply wasn't enough, so I enrolled in Chinese classes at university and have been in pursuit of reuniting with my host family (and those dumplings) ever since. My exchange experience not only opened up opportunities for cross-cultural understanding, but also prepared me for a globally focused academic and professional career.

AFS-USA responded to this reviewOctober 14, 2022

Thank you so much for your wonderful review Marria! We are so happy that your exchange experience with AFS was so impactful!

I got so much more out of this experience than I could have ever expected and left the experience a completely different person. ASSE takes care in making sure that not only your host family, but your school itself is perfectly suited for you. When I first got my placement, I was skeptical because the selected high school wasn’t what I had expected, but it was the perfect match for me. I made dozens of friends and did things that were so random, they weren’t even on my ‘exchange student bucket list’, like going on a stargazing camp deep in the mountains of Nagoya, or meeting my best friend whom integrated me into the underground Tokyo rock and roll scene. I even performed in a band at my schools festival. Most importantly though, the host family I was placed in became a second home for me, we love each other dearly even now (I have since returned to and am living in Tokyo). Do not pass up on this opportunity. If you are lost in your adolescence and feel directionless, this is exactly what you need. The staff and associated members in this program guide you to everything you want in a study abroad program. If I hadn’t have gone with this program, I honestly don’t know what I’d be doing with my life right now and I certainly wouldn’t have a second language under my belt.

During the winter of 2018, I looked up Japanese Language Programs for High School Students and found this Program. I wasn't sure whether to sign up for this Program or the many others you can find across the web but I am so glad I chose this one. What interested me most in this program was the Home Stay aspect, staying with a family and acquiring language knowledge through a more natural setting. Through this program I was able to meet friends I still talk to and a family I hope to never lose contact with. I noticed through the very few other reviews that hardly any negatives are mentioned in them, I thought this was odd so I'll try and talk about both the good and the bad. I went on LanguBridge's Japan E Summer program. The staff: The staff in the program are very supportive, there will likely be at least two English native speakers that will be there to help you every step of the way. Throughout the Program, there were some misunderstandings between me and the Teachers as they were not native speakers but the trip leaders helped me out each time to avoid any problems. I was very grateful to most of the staff, they helped the trip become less stressful and so much more enjoyable. Other students in the Program: I arrived at the airport the first day worried that meeting 20 strangers would be super awkward and that I would leave having made no friends but I was so wrong. I am extremely shy, talking to complete strangers was something completely out of my comfort zone but luckily the program leader connected everyone to a Facebook group chat so we could talk to each other beforehand. It made everything less stressful. I made some friends I hope to never lose. You have multiple opportunities to talk to people from the other class. Multiple times after class and even once during the weekend I hung out with my friends in Harajuku, Akihabara and Ueno Park. Hanging out with everyone were some of my fondest memories. Host Family: I loved my Host Family, They have become like a second family. If I had known how great they were I wouldn’t have had any doubts to go to Japan with this Program. They helped me so much over the three weeks. In my family, I had two younger brothers (13,15), an older sister (16), the Parents and grandmother, aunt and cousin also stayed over for a couple of nights. They brought me to a summer festival, I got to see my younger brother’s baseball games and we even got to eat out a couple of times. My favorite moments were playing card games with my host siblings, even though there was often a language barrier, they were encouraging, loving and everything I could have asked for in a family. We’re still in contact. Morning and Evening Transport: The transport is long unless you’re lucky but the shortest my year was 45 minutes, mine was close to over 2 hours and that was one-way. It is likely that after a week the excitement of traveling alone will have worn off. I found myself later having memorized the scenery which ultimately aided in not getting lost later. Though since the commute was so long I got lost It was part of the experience. It was in those moments that I felt I grew the most and became more independent. Some of the things you could do on the commute are: Brining a book, Studying the previous day’s lesson or just looking out the window. I would go on my phone and listen to music offline to avoid wasting my data. Many days I found myself unable to do anything because of rush hour. Rush hour was an experience, to say the least. Locals will push you to get in, there is hardly any space to move so I would recommend that you stand in front of the seats as it is always less crowded there. Classes: The classes were my least favorite part of the trip. Though I didn’t dislike them and they allowed me to meet amazing friends, I quickly fell into a routine and I found myself becoming distracted. I wish the program had had a higher level class as I was not a beginner. I was put in the intermediate class but the level was still quite low. Overall though the lessons were interesting and we often had field trips which added an element of change to the routine. We went to Akihabara, A local shrine and an animation museum. Tips: Some tips I have for future participants are: First, BRING SUNSCREEN!! I left it at the bottom of my suitcase and ended up with a really bad sunburn which didn’t leave until after the end of the trip. Second, don’t be scared to talk Japanese with your family and practice. They don’t expect you to be fluent or even know much more than a greeting. They chose to be hosts because they want to help you! Finally, don’t worry so much. It’s truly an amazing experience and whether or not everything ends up the way you wanted/expected, you’ll certainly leave having learned something. You’ll leave with unforgettable memories and new bonds which will make the whole trip worth it.

The staff at Greenheart are very helpful and that Greenheart can be well trusted. I would like to thank all of the staff at Greenheart for helping me through the process, enabling me to study abroad, and most importantly for making my dream possible. The program was very open to a variety of exchange students. Although I never dreamed that I would have been able to study abroad, thanks to Greenheart, I was able to. My advice is to never give up. From the application process to living abroad, everything is a challenge. I’ve learned so much and I have become a better person through my experience abroad. Although one may want to give up, the experience is worth it.

I choose AFS because, I felt like with other exchange programs, after you got into the foreign country they just kind of left you. I felt like AFS took care of us while we were in France by organizing weekends and checking up on us!

Greenheart has great support and they have many area representatives which ensure a fast response if a problem arises. Don't be shy, talk to everyone, they'll be happy to talk to a new person. My only advice for improvement is: allowing the students to get in contact with the school before departure so they know what to get for uniforms or instructions on how to get a prepaid SIM

I would like to start by saying that studying abroad is not for the faint of heart. While on your exchange you will meet a multitude of struggles, with friends, language barriers, and host families. The most important thing is openness and flexibility. Although I had some difficulties, I would never take it back because in the end I gained such wonderful friends and family. I really do feel that I grew from my experience with Afs. Going there is hard, and coming home can be even harder. However, out of all the exchange programs I felt that Afs had ample resources and support. I really comes down to your host family and your chapter leaders. Regardless, do not let the potential hardships deter you from having a beautiful time in a beautiful country. I love my host family and the people I met, and it was well worth the trip.

I did the Summer language and culture immersion program in Japan. I was placed in a Kuwana, which is around an 1 1/2 away from Nagoya, where I went to language school everyday. AFS Japan and USA both did an amazing job preparing me at the orientation, both in America and in japan. My host family was amazing and truly made my exchange. At language school I learned so much (which I frankly did not expect) and made many close friends that is till keep in touch with. To anyone wanting to go abroad, do it! If anyone had any questions, feel free to email them to me at [email protected]

Be open minded and better yet, be prepared for the unexpected. Also go to your exchange country with an open mind. If you have a ton of expectations, you might find yourself disappointed when you realize that the country you now live in, or your host family aren't how you imagine them to be. As far as I know, I don't believe there is any need for improvement. Thank you for allowing me to have this amazing experience. I learned so much about myself and Japan, the country I love! Thanks again!

Greenheart Travel gives a bunch of pre departure materials that help you prepare yourself for what's coming next and if you have any questions they respond to emails fairly quickly. My advice if you do this program is to stay calm. It'll all be okay. Also say yes to anything your host family asks if you wanna do. You'll get more out of your experience. My only suggestion is making how to call that country from the US part of the information you give.

Everything about my program was amazing. It's hard to choose a favorite part, but if I had to I think building new relationships with the people in my host country would be it. Now I have family and friends in Japan too and I love them to death. The people at Greenheart are so kind and it seems like they really do care about their program participants. My program coordinator Hope was always willing to answer any questions we had and was super helpful. I think the program was fantastic, but Greenheart and JFIE (partner org in Japan) sometimes were not on the same page about my exchange so It was a little confusing at times. The pre-departure support was really good, but I would've liked to have been able to talk to an alumni from my program before I went. I think it would have calmed more of my fears. My advice is to just do it, and don't worry about how people will think of you there or what it's like because you really won't know till you get there.

This study abroad trip absolutely changed my life and will forever effect who i am as a person. This was an amazing program to be apart of, and all aspects were executed perfectly The trip had a perfect amount of freedom and guidance. I was able to practice Korean at all times, with native speakers and feel super comfortable the whole time.

My program taught me the value of studying. The investment in a year-long experience motivated me to really make the most of it. It was life-changing, and I will never look at the world the same way again. When you're in high school, it's a small universe, but when you go abroad, your world grows and you learn a lot about yourself. It’s honestly the best decision I’ve ever made.

Going to India was absolutely incredible! I learned more in that short time, than I ever thought was possible. The people were extremely hospitable there and they showed that they truly cared about me and my experience there. AFS is an amazing organization and I'll always be grateful for the time I had there!