More Chinese parents are sending their kids to study in high school and even junior high school overseas by themselves. Experts say, safety is becoming the primary concern and parents should be well prepared before the trip. Let's find out more from Wisconsin, United States.

 

This is Zhang Wenxiao, an eighteen year's old high school student in Wauwatosa, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. She finished her junior high school in China in 2014, and chose to leave her parents and study abroad on her own. Zhang said, her parents had to learn a lot about the local culture, and hand-picked a boarding school for her, for only one reason, safety.

 

ZHANG WENXIAO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT "Safety is the primary concern for my parents, I know they don't want me to just live in a stranger's house, that way they can't really guarantee my safety. Now I'm living in a boarding school, our teachers will take care of the safety issues, and they will help me with my homework too, my parents are happy about it."

 

Just like the other 147 Chinese students in this facility, Zhang spent most of her time here with her friends. And their average age is under eighteen years old. Sun Jianguo, the principal of this boarding school, said they have arranged guardians for all under age students.

 

SUN JIANGUO BOARDING SCHOOL PRINCIPAL "Guardian agreement is an important part of every student here, according to the local laws, all under-age students must have a guardian to accompany them, even to open a bank account, sign a new cell phone contract, or go to see the doctor, all these require a guardian."

 

Sun also said parents should fully understand the duties and responsibilities of a guardian before sending their children to the U.S., and parents should have good communication with the boarding school, and understand what their children will go through. In the U.S., there is no specific law to regulate homestay and boarding schools, some of the schools may not go through a complete background check before asking someone to take care of the kids. As more young Chinese students are planning to study overseas, Sun suggests parents to pay a visit before sending kids abroad.