Do you know what it’s like to be out of your home and be dropped into a whole new world? The foods there taste different, the people are a sea of strangers, and even the education system is different.
Welcome to the exchange student program. In Norway last January, I decided that I wanted to apply for a year studying abroad. Time is flying, and I find myself somehow halfway through my first year. Growing up, watching countless movies about the “typical American high school kid”, I’m not sure what I expected. It’s different from the movies—but in a good way.
When I came to Bob Jones High School, I was greeted with a curious, enthusiastic student body. Bob Jones is the definition of school spirit, and everyone here has made my year incredible. All the students I’ve met have showed an interest in my country and my language. I’ve realized from this alone that the exchange program is a two-way experience; I’ve learned about America, and I’m helping others learn about Europe.
Culture shock was inevitable. For instance, referring to my teachers as Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Coach felt so bizarre, when in Norway, our relationships with our teachers are much more informal. I’ll admit, the first weeks I spent in America were scary, and I felt almost like a zoo animal: everyone looked and wondered about me, but I didn’t know any of them.
But things got easier, and now I’ve made a bunch of friends that I’m looking forward to spending the rest of the year with and hope to keep in touch with after I go back home in May.
It’s astounding how the people here, especially my host family, put so much effort into including me in all of the American activities I’ve never experienced.
I talked to Kelsi Long on her opinion of the exchange program, and she said, “I want to go abroad and think it will be a nice cultural change. You adapted very well to America!”
Would I recommend others to spend a year in a different country with a whole new culture? Of course I do! This year has opened so many doors for me, and even through the bad, I’ve learned a lot. If you’re in high school or college, it doesn’t matter—you should definitely consider studying abroad.
