“For Some Foreign Students, U.S. Education Is Losing Its Attraction”

This can actually be true for American students interested in working abroad or in the global fields as well.  You may want to consider a degree abroad as well.**DB

 

“For Some Foreign Students, U.S. Education is Losing Its Attraction”

by Karin Fischer via “New York Times“

SEOUL — Each fall, thousands of students from South Korea arrive on American campuses. They come from a culture that views education as the key to success, where mothers and fathers save to send their children overseas. On top of tuition, parents shell out for test prep and cram schools, supplemental English lessons and recruitment agents to shepherd them through an unfamiliar admissions process. In the past, only a small elite pursued advanced degrees internationally; today, many sons and daughters of the nation’s emergent middle class go abroad.

This is South Korea but the description could fit China equally well.

Recently however, after years of robust enrollment increases, graduate applications from South Korea to American colleges have fallen off; and last year the number of South Korean undergraduates in the United States also dropped. Fewer South Koreans study in the United States now than did five years ago.

South Korean students who study abroad often find that they lack the local connections to get a job when they return home, says Jaeha Choi, director of student recruitment and admissions at SUNY-Korea, the State University of New York’s campus outside Seoul, South Korea’s capital.

Softening interest from South Korea, the third-largest supplier source of international students to the United States, could serve as a warning to American institutions that have grown to rely on tuition revenue from China, the largest source. . . .

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“Local High School Student To Study Abroad in Korea”

Congrats Madison 🙂 I loved Korea!

“Local High School Student To Study Abroad in Korea”

by Cody Gibson via “Valdosta Today“

VALDOSTA, GA – Madison Bridges, a high school student in Valdosta, GA, has been awarded a National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) scholarship for 2014-2015. Madison will study Korean in South Korea for the Summer.

The NSLI-Y program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and provides merit-based scholarships for eligible high school students to learn less commonly-taught languages in summer and academic-year overseas immersion programs. The State Department offers approximately 625 students per year the change to study Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Russian, or Turkish overseas through NSLI-Y.

Launched in 2006, NSLI-Y seeks to increase the number of Americans who can engage with native speakers of critical languages by providing formal instruction and informal language practice in an immersion environment. The goals of the NSLI-Y program include sparking a life-long interest in foreign languages and cultures, and developing a corps of young Americans with the skills necessary to advance international dialogue and cross-cultural opportunities in the
private, academic, and government sectors. . . . .

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Random Question for You!

For those of you who have already traveled abroad before:

• Name a country you’ve been to.
• Name one overlooked word that you think travelers absolutely must know in the native language.  
• Why that word?

My Example:

South Korea — 

While the most important word ever is “I’m Sorry” (Miahne), a lot of people already know that one. What they don’t mention is “Yok” (long o).  That’s “subway station”  in Korean and is used for everything in regards to directions.  Even the locals give directions in terms of which exit of the subway you should orient yourself to.  Lots of times you’ll be dropped off by taxis at the closest Yok to your destination.  It’s the one word you definitely need to know if you’re going to be in Korea, even for a day. But it’s rarely on the ‘most translated words’ lists.

Share Your Examples!

 

“Traveler’s Lodestone” out in Hard Copy!

Celebrations abound! At last, “Traveler’s Lodestone” is officially out in hard copy — a great universal translator ready for use!

After a great deal of time and effort, we have put together this great resource for anyone working with foreign languages. Whether that be while traveling abroad or when dealing with non-native speakers in your own backyard.  “Traveler’s Lodestone”  is a point-to-speak book. It uses picture-based communications to cover the basic things a person would need when conversing in any foreign language. The idea is that when the words aren’t at the tip of your tongue, the pictures are at the tip of your finger. Everything from groceries to clothes to hotel amenities to weather, directions, and more is available instantly with this easy to use book. It’s quick and universal!

Right now it’s out on CreateSpace, but coming soon to Amazon and other booksellers near you. At 5×8 and 100 pages, it’s small enough to stick in your purse or bag and carry around, easy to pull out and use. Check out this great universal translator! Now tested in Korea, Japan, and China–it worked perfectly! (the Bathroom/Toilet pic is apparently very popular 😛 )  Trust me; I’ve tried the dictionaries, translation books, etc. and this is the best tool I’ve found so far.

Great for students abroad!

Pick up Your Paperback Copy By Clicking Here

If you are interested in the E-book Version, that’s available here.  The e-book is actually broken up into 3 short Volumes for easier use.

We’re also working on a Android/Apple app. As soon as I figure out how to attach buttons to links, we’ll be adding that.