Students from all across the world come to our country to study and stay as part of an exchange program. While living so far away from home may seem frightening to most, these foreign students embrace the experience with an open mind.
Being away from family for an extended period is the most challenging aspect of the foreign exchange experience, yet, many students find support and joy in the families that host them while abroad.
“My house family is wonderful,” German student Lina Neuhoff said. “I live with my house mom and sister and they are like my family here.”
For these exchange students, adjusting to a new country can often feel like navigating an unexpected path without knowing where it leads. Still, the support and warmth from their host families provide these students with a sense of comfort to soothe their homesickness.
“My house family loves to do fun things together,” Macedonian student Erjona Emini said. “They take me and my house sister indoor skydiving, to waterparks and we love to watch movies together.”
Students travel internationally for many different intentions. When coming across the world, activities and speech are different. Not everyone speaks the same language and most exchange students come to better understand our language and culture.
“I wanted to be an exchange student to learn about your culture and to share mine with others,” Emini said.
The way we live in America can be completely different than how others live elsewhere. The way we talk to one another, eat our food, and learn are all different than most.
“Everyone here is a lot more friendly,” Neuhoff said. “The way we learn here is also a lot less strict than back at home for me.”
Leaving the comfort of your home could be hard, but leaving the comfort of the people you are most used to can be harder. It can cause some people to feel out of place at the start.
“Sometimes I get stares since I am the only hijabi in Azle, but it doesn’t bother me because I know it is different for people,” Mozambican student Tasymina Ussene said.
Being an exchange student can be an important part in students’ lives. The friends they make, The cultures they learn about, and the memories they create can stick with them for the rest of their lives.
