Nearly four months on from my exchange year to the U.S I still think about it every day.
I don’t think if you’d told me when I hopped on that plane in August of ‘23 that I was going on a truly life changing experience I would have believed you. Honestly I think the teenage part of me saw it as just one big adventurous holiday at the time. Of course I had been through the whole orientation process and the volunteers and previous returnees had told us time and time again that this exchange year away would stick with us for the rest of our lives. But like most teenagers I had sort of brushed that off. Applying that standard “I know best mindset” which had brought me to to do most things in life to date. Now though, four months on, and feeling a lot wiser, I can truly say those volunteers got it absolutely right.
I did, saw and achieved more during my year abroad than I ever thought was possible.
The memories and friendships I made during my exchange year in Saint Paul, Minnesota are ones I will hold with me forever. From my first late night diner run with my friends, to exploring the untapped beauty of the national parks, I did, saw and achieved more during my year abroad than I ever thought was possible.
Truly, I think the friendships and memories made during this time are the purest forms one can achieve during their lives. You, as a young adult, are transported away from your normal, comfortable, safety net of home, into a new city and country, surrounded by strangers, almost as if to start from scratch all over again. I can’t say I ever thought I would ever experience the ‘new kid at school’ feeling again after my family moved when I was nine, but there I was at 18 starting at a brand new school in a different country.
Moving to a completely new place – no matter how old, extroverted, or friendly you think you are – is never easy.
Honestly though, it couldn’t have gone smoother, I met a great group of friends and I was off from there, immersing myself in sports, events, and everything this new life had to offer. That’s not to say however there weren’t challenges as well. Moving to a completely new place – no matter how old, extroverted, or friendly you think you are – is never easy, and I think anyone considering AFS should be aware of that.
There are always gonna be days where you miss home, where you’re sitting there listening to your math teacher drone on, thinking to yourself “What have I done?” For the first few weeks to months missing at least some aspect of your life back home is a daily occurrence, and I think it’s key to go into an experience like this aware that this is likely the case. But I promise, no matter how bad the homesickness gets, how bad the desire to hop on the first plane out of there becomes, things do get better.
For me, playing sport was really the key.
I think in a way every exchange student should play a team sport, or join a club their first few months in a new place. Taking part in an activity like those affords almost built-in friends and community in a way. I met a fellow AFS student in Minnesota from Italy, and as we sat in the airport about to head our separate ways back home he told me that not playing sports or joining clubs for the first half of the year was his biggest regret. Not only does it provide a feeling of community and support, but it also gives you something to look forward to when times get tough.
I ran cross country my first two months, and don’t get me wrong – some days when I’d get home from our 8km ‘light’ run as coach called it (note the quotation marks) I would have happily thrown in the towel and said no more. But deep down I knew that it was more then just the physical aspect that had an appeal. It was the friends I had made, the coaches supporting me in training and competing, and the general community it had brought me into. 
Getting out, joining a group, is the best thing I can recommend you do.
So now, as I sit writing this four months out, reflecting on likely the best year of my life, that is what I want to pass on to anyone considering an exchange year with AFS. Yes the beginning will get tough, I can’t sugar coat that sorry, but getting out, joining a group, is the best thing I can recommend you do. Whether it be choir like my French friend, or football like a friend from Germany, the choice doesn’t matter as long as you’re out there, because that starting foundation will only make the rest of the year even better.
Ready to experience your own AFS exchange year? Check out our programme options and start your journey today!
