Any exchange students (HS) or those who plan on doing it?

Hi!

I was an exchange student (my junior year of high school) to Tromsø, Norway (look it up! It's above the arctic circle!). I went with the Rotary Youth Exchange Program and it was the best year of MY life! It has totally changed me. I obviously did the long-term 12 month program. I was able to learn about a whole new and VERY interesting culture. Live in a small town very isolated from the rest of the world and learn three unique languages. I learned Kvensk (a dialect of Finnish) Saami, and Norwegian.

I was wondering if there were any people here who did a high school exchange? I'm not really looking for University Study Abroad as, no offense, they are NOTHING alike and the experiences are two totally different things (I can say this as I'm studying abroad in Spain atm for university).

I love connecting with other exchange students! If you were an exchange student in high school, where did you go? How old were you? What program did you go with (AFS, Rotary YEP, WEP)?

Also, are there people who are interested in doing a high school exchange? With Rotary you can even go the year after you graduate from high school ( you have to do another year of high school). If there is anyone interested in info I'd totally be up to sharing that with them! It is a life changing experience for everyone!!

[Daniel]

There have been a couple of people on EC who have been on exchange as well, myself included.

I traveled with Rotary Youth Exchange as well. I went to Aalborg, Denmark for 12 months.

[xballetxbeautyx]

I would love to, for the language, the experience, and to ge out of this hellhole. But also, that would mean leaving my Youth Company and dance and everything. I think I would rather study abroad in college instead of HS exchange, because I could pick what I wanted to study and be more independent rather than living with a host family (which would be awesome, but would probably make me a little uncomfortable).

xballetxbeautyx

You will get more out of doing your exchange in high school. You could even do it the year after you graduate! Yes, living with a host family can be tough but that is all part of the experience! When you study abroad with university, most of the time, you are with other people from your university or your country taking classes together, thus you will speak TOO much English and you can't properly immerse yourself into the culture. Please look into the Rotary program. Ballet is all over the world! Just because you go abroad for a year doesn't mean you have to quit dancing! It is something you can do over there, and your language will REALLY improve as you'll be with others your age! Find a Rotary club near you and ask them about their Youth Exchange Program, they'll most likely be enthusiastic to help you!

[BeautifulStranger]

I studied abroad in Germany last year. I lived in Bremen (located in the city-state of Bremen).
'Twas absolutely fantastic.

[Absentminded]

I have a few exchange students at my school this year. We usually get about 4 every year. Some years it's pretty nice, but this year...they're all really stuck up It sucks, cos they're usually all really nice.
I'd love to go on exchange somewhere, it would be awesome for the experiences, and to learn a language.

Originally Posted by BeautifulStranger

I studied abroad in Germany last year. I lived in Bremen (located in the city-state of Bremen).
'Twas absolutely fantastic.

What program did you go with? Did you do longterm?

----------

Originally Posted by Absentminded

I have a few exchange students at my school this year. We usually get about 4 every year. Some years it's pretty nice, but this year...they're all really stuck up It sucks, cos they're usually all really nice.
I'd love to go on exchange somewhere, it would be awesome for the experiences, and to learn a language.

Have you tried talking to them? A lot of times exchange students are put into this category of being stuck up when really they are just shy and timid and maybe are not very confident in their language skills! Do they have a lot of friends? Where are they from?

[donnie5]

we had a Korean girl in my high school when i was in high school lol... but we became good friends and she taught me how to write my name in Korean. I've always wanted to visit Asia since her.

Originally Posted by donnie5

we had a Korean girl in my high school when i was in high school lol... but we became good friends and she taught me how to write my name in Korean. I've always wanted to visit Asia since her.

AWESOME! That is what exchange is ALL about!

[donnie5]

asian languages are so much different than western one i fear i could never fully learn them.