Yep, they've got I guess like a gap year, can go away and live as they please ( within reason) BUT at the end of that period it's decision time, either come back home and settle into the Amish way of life "properly" OR don't and leave the family and go over to the dark side ( no not in Pattaya - but perhaps !
. I'm not sure just how harsh the line is about never seeing family again etc, but I'm thinking it's quite a definite line and a decision does have to be made. Saying that I drank with plenty of Amish guys who both had and HADN"T decided to leave so I guess like everything in life the rules say one thing and life itself then has a way of working around that when it suits.