<p>^^^My son is the same, Analyst, in the language department. He studied Latin and Greek in high school, and has no interest in learning another language. Some programs we’ve seen have been in either Spain or a South American country. I’m sure this contributes somewhat to his desire to do a study abroad in England, though he really does want to see the country. Besides the safety factor of being in an organized program from his home college, he would also feel comfortable not having the language barrier problems he would encounter in a foreign language immersion program. I’m trying to talk him into looking at Denmark or perhaps Germany, and hopefully, he’ll pick up whatever language skills he needs. Son is also a homebody, though, too, and would prefer to spend the summer at home playing video games, even though his scholarship does include money to study abroad. There are no engineering internships available in our town, so I’m pushing for him to study abroad so he can get some job experience under his belt.</p>
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<p>No internships that are advertised, perhaps, but having managed engineering myself for some years, I can tell you that many companies of all sizes would be happy to have a low-wage, highly-motivated young engineering intern for a few months. There are all kinds of little projects that don’t require an experienced engineer but do require an analytical mind, and these projects sometimes never get done because no one’s available to do them. An engineering intern is perfect for such jobs. I would encourage your son to go abroad first, but then, if he really doesn’t want to do that, to call companies within driving distance of your home and explain what he’s looking for. I’ll bet a tidy sum that someone who didn’t advertise for an engineering intern gladly takes him anyway.</p>
<p>D. had awesome 6-week trip to NZ. Has learned whole tons, hiked her way in group organized at her UG, visited “Lord of the Rings” filming grounds, had awesome new experiences like ice climbing, learn a lot about unique NZ animals (she was pre-med Zoology major). Credits were optional. She decided to take credits, since tuition was covered for one summer by Honors college, did few projects and got A for 6 credi hours, which she did not need at all, it just her, why not if it is free and she went on a trip anyway? Was not much partying, very very physically challenging trip, that was almost beyond D’s physical ability.</p>
<p>I don’t consider any type of travel a boondoggle…even if there is lots of fun involved. All international travel is good becase it opens their eyes to other cultures. We in the US are fairly sheltered when it comes to experiencing other ways of life.</p>
<p>D1 will be studying architecture and she is required to do a semester abroad with her section (30 kids) and professor to graduate. She will have at least one studio course and two other required courses which means she will be very busy. But part of the education includes “field trips” to other cities. I am sure and I hope that she has tons of fun while learning something. I am also encouraging her to go early and travel as well I may meet up with her when she is done and do a little family travel.</p>
<p>But I do believe the kids have to have some “skin in the game.” That could mean a scholarship, loan or something that keeps them responsible for what they learn/produce while abroad…my D will be taking out a loan for this semester and if she makes the grade we will probably pay it off as part of her education.</p>
<p>Sorry to drift a little off-topic, but does anyone have experiences with the Russian study abroad programs? Any of them particularly recommended to to be avoided? S has heard it can be difficult to travel in-country (requires lots of permissions, etc.) unless with a tour group.</p>
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<p>How is that bragging? Why did you have to say something crappy in the middle of an otherwise pleasant discussion?</p>
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<p>I agree. I think the concern is that the program will be sold as study when it’s really just fun. If my kid wants to party in Europe, I say fine, then party in Europe. But don’t ask me for money to “study abroad” and then go party with it.</p>
<p>As the OP, I just want to say that my daughter SHOWED me the Facebook pictures, I am not my d’s Facebook friend and would never expect to be!</p>
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I don’t think it’s very difficult unless you’re planning on travelling far from the European half of the country and into Siberia and the Far East (and of course the dangerous Northern Caucasus region), which to my knowledge have cities that non-Russians simply cannot enter. On my Russian visa application, I put only Moscow and St. Petersburg on my “itinerary” but I fully plan on travelling independently to cities within 4-5 hours of Moscow (where I’ll be based). Long-term internal vacations might be more difficult.</p>
<p>Son’s LAC has long standing relationship with Oxford, so he’ll be spending next year doing tutorials which are renowned for their intellectual intensity. I also hope he’ll do what most of the English students and many Americans do and spend time between terms traveling in England and in Europe–and yes, I hope he gets some time to party and see the sights and I hope to see those pictures on Facebook. What’s possibly wrong with that?</p>
<p>I know this isn’t exactly the type of boondoggle the OP had in mind, but I’m in Russia right now and I’m not going to say that I hate it, but I’m not exactly having the time of my life. First of all, I’m black, and the directors of my program basically told me I had a death wish if I went more than a couple of blocks away from our dorm alone. I’ve already had someone make monkey noises/gestures at me in the street and been called “chyornozhopa” (black @ss) by some guy in the Moscow metro. There are swastikas everywhere. Plus, I can’t leave my room without people staring at me like some kind of extraterrestrial (understandable, there aren’t many blacks in Russia, I’ve only seen 3 or 4). Nothing terrible has happened obviously, but race relations are just so much different here in that respect, so while the other people in my group are out actually having fun I’m in my dorm room feeling sad and lonely. I come straight home after class and have this irrational fear of even going a few blocks away to the grocery store. </p>
<p>I don’t want to derail the thread and this probably isn’t even a good place for this post, but basically I just wanted to say that if your S or D is a minority in the US (mainly black or Middle Eastern, I imagine), don’t bother funding his/her study abroad trip to Russia. And of course I don’t mean to stereotype all Russians as ignorant racists, I’ve come into contact with many amazing people in just a few days - I’m just afraid to report that it’s not those people that own the streets here.</p>
<p>buriedalie - I am so sorry that your experience is not what you wanted it to be. How frustrating and disappointing.</p>
<p>But I am curious - were you given any information when you were considering this study abroad program that this might be an issue? Seems to me, it should have been discussed LONG before you stepped on the plane.</p>
<p>Good luck with the rest of the program.</p>
<p>The issue was briefly touched on in a pre-departure orientation we had a couple of weeks before we arrived here. Besides that, I independently read TONS of news articles about racism in Russia to the point of being obsessed with the subject. But in the end I decided the opportunity to go to Russia was too great to pass up, and maybe I’m not wrong - I mean, if anything, I’d probably have been surprised not to have experienced these sorts of things. The odds of actually being attacked aren’t that great after all, I just need to grow thicker skin and deal with the fact that this isn’t America and things are different…</p>
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<p>Bingo! That’s exactly what you need to do. Not always easy, but something you need to learn any time you are in another country.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
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