About Exchange Students

About exchange students

A quick presentation:

“ I am Pablo, I come from Madrid, Spain and I am going to spend the year here!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“ I am Olivia, I am 17 years old and I come from Bruxelle, Belgium”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“ My name is Daniel, I am also 17, I come from Cancún, Mexico”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“ I am Angèle, I am 17 , I am French and I live in a small city named Chambéry, in the Alpes”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“ My name is Sergej and I come from Bosnia”

 

 

 

 

 

Why did you choose to become an exchange student?

PABLO: I was thinking that it could be a very great experience to practice my English and discovered another county, a new culture!

OLIVIA: Well, I am already graduated and I should be in college but I didn’t know what I wanted to do so I wanted a year off to think about it, also to learn English.

DANIEL: Because all my friends were doing an exchange year and I didn’t want to stay alone in Mexico.

ANGÈLE: I really wanted to see something else than my country, to discover a new culture, meet new people and learn English. Also, I have no idea what I want to do later and in France you have to choose right after high school, so I wanted a year to think about it!

SERGEJ: I feel that a lot of opportunities will appear and it will make my studies a lot easier.

Did you choose your country/states?

PABLO: I did choose the USA but not Vermont.

OLIVIA: I am with the Rotary so I had to choose four different countries and I didn’t know the one I would visit! I am here in the USA.

DANIEL: I choose the country not the state.

ANGÈLE: Yes I choose both. I came here 2 years ago and I really liked it so i decided to come back!

SERGEJ: No,I didn’t choose anything. My program did.

Do you like it?

PABLO: Yes, I really like Vermont because it’s not a big state and people are very close to each other and I think that the people are very friendly. I feel comfy!

OLIVIA: Well first, I was not happy but now I am, because people are nice, I like my host family and the school is nice too.

DANIEL: Yes, I was expecting a place where I can ski and Vermont is a good one!

ANGÈLE: Well yes, I chose to come here so yes. I really like people, I also like the school and my host family. Also it’s not so different than my home in France so I am not so lost as I thought I will be!

SERGEJ: Yes, I think Vermont is a very beautiful place and there are a lot of fun things to do.

Can you tell us the biggest difference between here and home?

PABLO: I think it’s the people, how they react, how they talk to each other, I couldn’t really explain, it’s just different. I just feel that people are even more close in Spain but here they are more friendly!

OLIVIA: I will say the mind, like the mentality between Americans and Europeans are very different.
I just feel that the Americans are always extreme!

DANIEL: Probably the weather, in Cancùn it’s warm all year, over 80°F so very different!

ANGELE: I will say people, it’s hard to explain. I just feel that relationship doesn’t work the same. The way that people live is also very different! Food, tradition. Kind of everything.

SERGEJ: Other than food, I would say how people act, ethic of people I guess. The way they see religions, the educational system and so much more stuff.

What is the most challenging thing that you had to live as an exchange student?

PABLO: I think when you arrived, everything is different and you are a little bit scared but with the time you just adapt yourself.
Also leaving everything in your home country and being alone is hard.

OLIVIA: Being away from my family, I have never been more than two weeks away from them so this is hard.

DANIEL: Probably the language, comprehension in class, I think that is difficult.

ANGELE: Well, I think it’s the first few weeks, everybody is nice to you but you are not close to anyone. At the same time you see your friends in your country doing stuff and you are not with them, this is kind of hard!
Also leaving everything to go somewhere you don’t know anything, it’s very scary, I think people don’t imagine how strong you have to be in your head to do something like that. It’s a very hard and I am very proud of myself for being able to do that!

SERGEJ: It was mostly adapting myself to people because there are things that we do in my country and we don’t do here!

Do you encourage people to do an exchange year?

ALL: Yes of course, if you have the choice to do it, just go because it will change you so much! It’s not just about learning another language, it’s about meeting new people, experience something that you will not live in your country.
We all feel that it makes you become more mature, you have different points of view on things. You have a new culture! A year in a life is nothing, but this year is such a great experience that you will always remember!