English in Canada, Australia, and Malta
Programs such as "English in Canada" and in other countries besides the USA and the UK have become known relatively recently. The main advantage of such courses is their relative cheapness.
An agent of a company sending people abroad will tell you that English is the language of international communication and can be learned in many countries at a quite affordable price. Such arguments have a right to exist, but one must consider that only British and American dialects have received official recognition; there is no such thing as Canadian or Maltese English anywhere except in those specific countries.
Therefore, do not be surprised if after completing your studies you are left with only a diploma, but, for example, Americans will not be able to understand you. So remember that the classic option is an English language school in London, and when going to study in another country, be sure to clarify who will teach you and what they will teach.
The second obstacle on the path of people eager for knowledge is their own irresponsibility. To gain knowledge, one must strive for it, i.e., attend mandatory lessons, additional individual classes, and work independently. Travel agents usually keep quiet about this, only talking about immersion in a natural language environment, special teaching methods, and the immense experience of teachers. Yes, the European method of education is fundamentally different from ours. But learning English in England, even in the most expensive and prestigious school, will not yield the expected results if the student does not constantly and diligently work.
Au-pair and Work & Travel
These are the two most popular programs in our country. With their help, you can study and work abroad from 3 months to a year. With skillful use and a fortunate combination of circumstances, participation in such a program can be a real breakthrough in a person's life, but there are also nuances that are very rarely discussed.
First, you can gain invaluable experience, but you are unlikely to earn big money. Over a maximum of four months of participation in Work & Travel, you can save no more than $2,500, and in the Au-pair program, only so-called pocket money payments of €250-300 are provided.
Second, Germany is not just Berlin, and there are other cities in France besides Paris. Usually, 90% of all participants end up in the periphery, and only a few in big cities and capitals. It is very important to come to terms with this fact in advance, because many only dream of big cities and, ending up in the countryside, become disappointed.
Third, there are enough assistant directors, foremen, and engineers among the local population in these countries. However, there is a great shortage of couriers, laborers, dishwashers, and the like. It is precisely these types of jobs that 95% of participants end up in. Those who occupy high-ranking positions usually do not go through exchange programs, but through preliminary agreements between companies for the purpose of professional development.
Fourth, one must not forget the human factor. The family that hosts you through the Au-pair program may simply not be a good fit. You are a good person, they are wonderful people, but you turned out to be incompatible with each other. Or the businessman hiring employees through Work & Travel may go bankrupt or simply change his mind. The only way to force him to hire you is through legal action, but you have neither citizenship nor money for a lawyer. In such a case, you either have to leave or find a job on your own.
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