Hola. Bonjour. Buongiorno. Ni hao.

For years, study-abroad programs had primarily been popular among college students, but the trend is now picking up among high school students.

Sophomores, juniors and seniors alike are now flocking around the world to experience culture, language and education through completely different eyes. Although there are many study-abroad programs, United World College, School Year Abroad and American Field Services are some of the most popular programs for students in Santa Fe.

Laura Breen, a Santa Fe teen and former Monte del Sol student, has just returned from her first year in the United Kingdom with United World College.

Through her experience, Breen has gained a new view on the world and about herself, she said.

"This constant challenge has showed me a lot of who I am, what I believe, what I find important, where I'm coming from and, most importantly, what I'm capable of," Breen said.

Breen entered the two-year program during her senior year, so next school year she will return to the program as a "super senior." This means that Breen, like many other students in the program, will be able to take an extra year studying aboard before going to college.

United World College has a "four nationalities to a dorm policy," so students find themselves in dorms with peers from all around the world. Unlike other study-abroad programs, where students select what country they want to visit, the school chooses it for them.

The School Year Abroad program allows juniors and seniors in high school to travel to a variety of countries and stay with host families. This gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the daily lives of their host country's society for an entire year. This option offers programs in Italy, Spain, France, China, Vietnam and Japan. The program content varies according to countries.

While some students such as Breen spend years abroad, other students choose to study for a semester. Lauren Buchanan, a junior at Santa Fe Prep, spent the first semester during her sophomore year at a program called "Swiss Semester." Buchanan traveled to the Swiss mountain town of Zermatt and participated in a sports-intensive program for four months.

Buchanan, who was the first student from New Mexico to participate in the Swiss Semester, resided and attended classes in an old skiing lodge.

"I now have a more global view," said Buchanan, recounting stories about scaling a mountain while tied to fellow classmates.

"No matter where you go, no matter what language is spoken, everyone is human and equal. Everyone ought to think on a global scale," she said.

Charlotte Smart is a junior at Santa Fe Secondary School. You can reach her at charchar@cybermesa.com.