This article makes me incredibly angry, and I think I've figured out why. This sort of thing masquerades as a transgressive act, but it serves to reinforce the

This article makes me incredibly angry, and I think I've figured out why. This sort of thing masquerades as a transgressive act, but it serves to reinforce the notion that the lives of working adults are drudgery, and that, every so often, we need a break from it all. People who can afford this sort of thing are already in the highest caste in the US. And don't tell me that those programs that provide stipends aren't seriously competitive - I'm willing to bet the majority of those admitted don't need the money. Here's a great example of such a program: Where There Be Dragons[1]. The very name is racist and archaically antipodean. I'm sure it's a great honor to be a Dragon, and the name really pops on that college application! This is not an indictment of cultural exchange, but of hedonism and signalling pretending to be any type of worthwhile exchange. I'm sure that some people do meaningful work and somehow find themselves by switching tasks or locales. But I'm willing to bet that more than a few are disingenuous, and this article actively encourages that sort of behavior. [1] http://www.wheretherebedragons.com http://www.wheretherebedragons.com