I studied abroad in Marbella, Spain in 2016 during my junior year of high school. I could not have ever imagined just how much being a Rotary exchange student would change my life. I met so many incredible people that I still talk to today, had two amazing host families who taught me all about […]
If you don’t think you can do it, do it anyway. Every single person will gain new experiences, and it just helps you grow so much as a person. It’s always a really cool conversation starter. Plus you are going to have bragging rights for the rest of your life.
When I was on exchange I really started thinking about my impact on others and the ways I could have an effect on someone. I thought more about how I wish people would treat me, and how I should treat people new to our country. You realize kindness is powerful, and empathizing with people can
One of the greatest things I gained is my fellow exchange friends. You get to share experiences and it was really comforting to have people that knew exactly what I was going through. Now they’re some of my best friends. Nothing brings two people together like going through the exact same thing at the same
The number one thing is – if you’re struggling, just ask for help. Someone, in some way, is going to try and figure out how to make it easier and better for you. That’s exactly what happened in my exchange. All you have to do is just ask.
Don’t let that language barrier get in the way of doing things that you want to do. The best way to learn is by putting yourself in situations where you don’t have another option. Just take as many opportunities as you can, and those communication skills will come naturally.
I’ve been back to visit since my exchange, and it’s really like visiting family members. These are people I lived with for so long, and they were like actual parental figures, brothers, and sisters to me. When you live with each other for long enough, and have great memories together, it feels like family.
Honestly, my exchange has influenced everything in my life. It changes your connections, can impact where you want to live, and help you decide what you want to do with your life. It changes everything.
They say there is a reverse culture shock whenever you come back, because you will have changed a lot too. Now I feel like I’m half American, half Belgian with my values and how I see things. My exchange made a big impact on my perspective on the world.
I always say that now my family’s not here. It’s not just here, it’s all around the world. And that’s something I think everybody has to experience once in their life. Yeah, it can be scary, but you’re going to be with people that really help you, and that’s amazing.