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 There
are many benefits of studying abroad on a YFU
exchange program.
Learning
first hand:
Living, learning, and immersing
yourself in another culture will broaden your
perspective and give you a competitive edge in
this interdependent world. Experiencing a totally
new culture, making new friends and doing new
things, enjoying different food, playing different
sports, hearing different music, exploring new
places... you’ll gain the knowledge, skills, and
insights about other people and other countries
that will prepare you for an international career.
Opportunities for the
Future:
Your exchange experience will provide
you with many benefits as you move on from education
to career. Your openness, ability to deal well
in different situations, and your knowledge of
all kinds of people will give you an edge in any
career. Whether your career involves international
travel or interacting in multicultural environment,
your exchange experience will provide you an excellent
foundation.
 Increased
Maturity:
Whether it's tolerance, openness
to new people and experiences, or increased independence
and responsibility, you, your family and friends
will find that you will change in many positive
ways while you are on exchange.
Second language fluency:
Spending time in a country where
another language is spoken will give you a fluency
that you would not get in years of study. Educators
believe that the best way to learn a language
is to use it, and you will be certainly doing
that in your exchange program.
Lifelong
friendships:
The exchange experience is likely
to provide you with friendships that last forever.
Whether its people you meet at school, your fellow
exchange students, or members of your host family,
you'll make relations that will remain strong
and active for years to come!
Home away from home:
You will be part of this adventure
while living with a family that cares for you
just like their own son or daughter. Each student
stays with a host family, learning to appreciate
a new way of living as no tourist ever could.
Being a member of a host family in a foreign country
is the most intensive way of absorbing a new culture
through participation in everyday life.
Deeper understanding
of your own culture:
Living abroad will offer you
an objective view of your own country that will
help you to participate in and appreciate more
consciously your own country. Being an exchange
student just doesn’t mean understanding the foreign
culture but one's own culture as well.
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Click
the image to watch YFU India students entertain
Korean and Filipino students with the Indian national
anthem and Punjabi dance moves during their short-term
scholarship visit to Japan in January and February,
2008.
Available in .wmv format only.
If you don't have Windows Media Player, click
here to download Version
11 for Windows Vista/XP, Version
10 for Windows XP, Version
9 for Windows 2000, or alternate
Version 9 for Mac.
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In
His Words
In
2007, Manas Gautam stayed in Japan as a
YFU India exchange student.
"My
experience in Japan, if put in a nutshell,
was simply fantastic. From the food to playing
Shogi (Japanese Chess), there was always
something new and enjoyable to do.
Moreover,
I discovered that there's more to Japan
than manga, anime and Kurusawa movies and
all the other stereotypes. I formed a very
strong bond with my host family, and without
their love and support my trip would not
have been anywhere near memorable.
Although
communicating in Japanese did prove to be
a problem at times (make that, many a time),
the Japanese took care of it by their ever-friendly
nature and I felt right at home.
In
the end, I would like to thank YFU for providing
me with the opportunity to explore and know
more about Japan and I do hope that everyone's
experience proves to be as stupendous as
mine."
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