Program Details
| Program Length | Approx. Start Date | Approx. End | 2009 Price | Age on Departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Fall Departure Jul 14-17 |
Return Jul 3-6 |
$9,900 | 15 yr 0 mos - 17 yr 0 mos |
| Year | Spring Departure Jan 18-21 '09 |
Return Jan 2-5 '10 |
$9,900 | 15 yr 0 mos - 17 yr 0 mos |
All programs to Malaysia depart from Los Angeles.
Note about travel dates: Travel date ranges are provided to help with general scheduling. Please do not reserve any domestic travel based on these dates. AFS will notify confirmed participants with specific travel details approximately 45 days prior to departure.
About Malaysia
Experience the magic of Malaysia—a rich collage of cultures, modern buildings next to traditional spice markets, and rainforests teeming with 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! 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. This diversity is celebrated throughout the year with many different multicultural festivals. Education plays an important role in Malaysian society: 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, Chinese food, India cooking, as well as local Nyonya and Portuguese traditions. During your program, you’ll have time to learn about local activities too, like sepak takraw (a kickball type of volleyball), giant top spinning, and kite-flying.
Year Program
You will arrive in Kuala Lumpur and attend a three-day orientation about the culture, life, and language. Thanks to the diverse society, your host family may belong to any one of the main ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese, or Indian. However, regardless of which family you are placed with, you will enjoy multicultural festivals celebrated throughout the year. 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. Malaysian teenagers love sports, such as soccer, or badminton, and they also enjoy water 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.
View PDF Brochure for Malaysia School Program.
All programs, prices, and travel dates are subject to change without notice.
