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High School Year
Youth
For Understanding International Exchange
High School Year Program Exchange
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YFU Switzerland |
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Once you see the breath taking
beauty of the Alps, lakes, cities and castles of Switzerland,
you'll soon realise why Swiss culture is based on the
outdoors. Have a YFU exchange experience in one of the
most ecologically aware countries in the world.
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Switzerland
is about 2/3 of the size of Tasmania, but it is a very
multicultural country with 4 official languages. Switzerland
is centrally located between northern and southern Europe
and its neighbours are France, Italy, Germany and Austria.
There is a high regard for nature and beauty, and environmental
awareness has long been a concern. The Swiss love to be
out in nature and have a long time passion for hiking,
skiing, snowboarding and other outdoor activities, such
as soccer, ice skating, ice hockey, cycling and running.
The Swiss like to travel and visit the neighboring countries
of Europe during their summer and winter holidays.
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While
your Swiss host family will welcome you warmly, you should
understand and respect the great value the Swiss attach
to family privacy. The Swiss also value cleanliness, orderliness
and neatness. You will enjoy becoming part of a small,
intimate group as a member of your host family. As a part
of that family, expect to share time with your family
at lunch, still the main meal in many parts of Switzerland.
Dinner may be your main meal but it also may be light,
often a cold meal, following the bigger lunch.
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Swiss
schools differ because they are run by the various cantons
and because of the diversity resulting from four different
languages. You can count on working hard because Swiss
schools tend to be academically challenging. You will
be enrolled in one of three kinds of schools: Gymnasium
(for university-bound students), Lehrerseminar (a teacher's
training college) or Handelsmittelschule (a business college).
Your Swiss friends will have begun their schooling with
primary school, followed by lower secondary school, after
which they are free to leave school. Most continue on
an upper secondary school but only a small percentage
attend the universities.
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