Program Details
| Program Length | Start | End | Program Cost | Age on Departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exchange Year | Late July | Early July | US$7,000 | 15 - 17 |
Age Explanation: Age on Departure reflect both the years and month(s) of the age of the applicant at the start of the program. For example, if the age is listed as 16.1 the applicant should be 16 years and 1 month at departure.
Malaysia Details :
Experience the magic of Malaysia—a rich collage of cultures, modern buildings next to traditional spice markets, and a plethora of rare and endangered species. Imagine how your résumé will stand out from the rest of your peers with an experience in this fascinating South China Sea nation! In Malaysia, each culture retains its identity, while sharing in Malaysian society with remarkable ease. Native Malays share citizenship with ethnic Chinese and Indians, and though the state religion is Islam, Buddhist shrines and Hindu temples are as commonplace as mosques. Education plays an important role in Malaysian society where school is not only a place of learning, but reinforces the importance of family and community values. Forty percent of Malaysia, the more industrialized portion, is located on the Southeast Asian peninsula. The other 60 percent is on an island shared with Indonesia and Brunei, 400 miles across the South China Sea. The variety of people in Malaysia makes for a very interesting mix of cuisine—spicy Malay dishes, an endless variety of Chinese food, exotic cuisine from North and South India, as well as local Nyonya and Portuguese dishes. During your program, you’ll have time to learn about traditional activities too, like sepak takraw (a kickball type of volleyball), giant top spinning, and kite-flying.
Year :
You will arrive in Kuala Lumpur and attend a three-day orientation to acquaint you with the culture, life, and language. Thanks to the diverse structure of Malaysian society, your host family may belong to any one of the main ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese, or Indian. This diversity is celebrated throughout the year with many different multicultural festivals.
You will attend a public school, and uniforms are mandatory. The school year runs from January to December, with several vacations. The language of instruction is Bahasa Melayu, but English is a compulsory second language. Most Malaysians speak English. Malaysian teenagers love sports, such as soccer, or badminton, and they also enjoy sea sports such as surfing and jet skiing. AFS will offer you the opportunity to see different places and cultures in Malaysia by placing you with another host family for two to three weeks during the latter part of your stay.
