Air Academy High School is chalk full of language classes to take, from Spanish to French, even German. If you enjoy taking language classes, maybe you’ve been thinking about what it would be like to study abroad. I got the opportunity to sit down with some of Air Academy’s language teachers and students and talk about getting inspired through the languages you love.

Ms. Leavitt, a Spanish teacher at Air Academy, has taught Spanish 1,2,3, and 4 during her time here. She has traveled throughout eight Spanish speaking countries and has even lived in Mexico for two years. She began taking Spanish in 5^th grade and continued to take it all the way through college where she studied abroad during her junior year for six months. She found her program through her college, Butler University, and it was one of the best life experiences she’s had. “Do it! Do it anywhere. There is opportunity to be gained everywhere,” said Ms. Leavitt, who firmly believes that one of the best ways to learn a language is to dive right in. “Spanish is my passion. It always came easily to me, which made me feel successful. But a big reason why I teach Spanish is to help people. One of the most important things to keep in mind is that you can’t be nervous about people judging you when you speak. You just have to put yourself out there.”

Another teacher at Air Academy who has also had the experience of traveling abroad is Madame Gresham, who teaches French. Originally from Colorado, Ms. Gresham has also lived in France and Switzerland. She studied French from a young age through college, and received her Masters in French. When talking about the opportunity to study abroad, Ms. Gresham felt very passionately that it’s an experience every student should have. “Oh, do it! It is the best experience. It can be tough at times, but you will walk away with so much language, culture, and confidence,” she said. I received a much similar response when I got the opportunity to sit down with Mrs. Burnett, who teaches both Spanish and German at Air Academy. Mrs. Burnett studied language in high school and said “the only thing [she] was interested in during high school was language.” She has gotten the opportunity to travel to Spain, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Germany to further explore her passion for language. “Studying abroad is a really good opportunity. I was always too shy to do it, but if you’re an outgoing person who’s open to adventure, it’s definitely for you. It’s the best way to learn a language. A good program to travel through is the Goethe-Institut.”

The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural organization that promotes studying German abroad. Are you interested in studying abroad in Germany? You could study at any Goethe-Institut located in Berlin, Bonn, Bremen, Dresden, Düsseldorf, or Frankfurt, among many other locations. The Goethe-Institut also offers study abroad scholarship opportunities for students to study for a semester, full-year, or even a summer overseas. Does this sound like you? Maybe you’d like to enroll in a four or eight-week summer intensive language course. Take the first step and visit here for more information.

Studying abroad can seem like a scary idea, but it’s a really fun opportunity! Take it from Enora Heron, who is far away from her home in France while she’s studying abroad at Air Academy High School. “I traveled through STS who works with the Aspect Foundation here in America,” said Enora. Enora was happy to talk about her experience with studying abroad, which has been a very rewarding opportunity. “At first it felt like a really long trip; I got homesick for a while but then I was good. The friends you make help a lot. When you make a lot of friends and meet nice people, it’s easier to forget that you’re far away from home.” A big thing that surprised Enora about traveling abroad was how different things can be between France and America. “The biggest difference for me was the food! I was worried about what people would think of me when I got here, but no one judged me about what I was wearing, or who I was going out with. It’s not as scary as you think it’s going to be.” Enora has been enjoying every moment of her stay here, and she would definitely do it again. “It’s an amazing experience! You learn a lot about everything: the culture, the language, the money, the people… even your relationship with your family.” If Enora was to give any piece of advice to a student interested in traveling abroad, she would say, “Go for it. You have to be strong enough to be separated from your family for a long time, which is the hardest part. But as for the rest, it’s just fun, joy, and learning. You will grow up, discover so much, and make the most amazing friends you’ll ever meet.”

Ally Fullerton, a student at Air Academy, although not a foreign exchange student, has some valuable advice to give about traveling to a different country. She moved to America from a central north island in New Zealand by herself when she was 17 to live with her aunt and uncle and gain a new experience. “It’s great traveling to a different country and finding classes to take that you didn’t have at home. Here, you guys have classes like astronomy, journalism, even film as lit! We didn’t have anything like that in New Zealand,” said Ally. Surprisingly, Ally’s never been homesick. She’s enjoying living in America so much that it now feels like home. “Do it, study abroad. It’s such an opportunity. It makes you more unique and in the future you’ll stick out more to possible employers. You grow up and mature so much being away from home.”

So, maybe you’re considering studying abroad. You’ve gotten advice from the pros and even heard about some classmates’ personal experiences, so what’s next? Studying abroad takes planning and lots of thought. First, meet with the school’s counselor or academic advisor to talk about how studying abroad will fit in with your academic plan. Then, do your research! There are hundreds of programs out there to look at if you’re interested in studying abroad. It’s smart to apply for at least three programs, because they fill up fast. Need a couple programs to start with when you’re looking into the right program for you? Maybe you want to study in Costa Rica with Sol Abroad. This program offers high school students the chance to spend a summer, semester, or even a year immersed in Spanish language and culture while attending a local high school. Through Sol Abroad high school students can also find the right host families for them. Click here for more information. Maybe you’re more interested in the French language, and you only want to be gone for a summer. Study for a summer in Biarritz, France, with SPI. SPI provides 2-4 week long summer language programs specifically for high school students. Go ahead, click here if this sounds like your kind of program. No matter what you’re looking for, there’s a study abroad program out there that’s perfect for you. Start searching and see where it takes you. When you find a program that fits just right, the next step is to make sure that you get your study abroad programs approved. Getting your classes approved before going abroad will ensure that you’ll get credits for the classes you plan on taking. If you’re a student who’s interested in languages and fascinated by the idea of living temporarily in a foreign country, consider studying abroad. You never know where the adventure might take you.