American flag outside of Universal studios, Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of sophomore Sofia Ballesteros Lopez.

  Some students decide to leave their city, friends, and routine only to find the most authentic version of themselves waiting in another country.  Imagine waking up one day in a country where no one knows you, the food tastes different, and everything, from people to classes, is new. For many teens, being an exchange student isn’t just an adventure, it’s a lesson about independence, curiosity, and self-discovery.

  Foreign exchange programs are a wonderful experience, and SLOHS students should participate in them much more.

  As an exchange student myself, I can say that when I picked up my luggage and looked at my bedroom for the last time I felt a wave of feelings I’ve never felt at the same time before. The idea of studying abroad, meeting new people, self-development and learning about a new culture is exciting and thrilling, but the idea of leaving your loved ones behind, adjusting to a new environment, not knowing anyone and being “the new kid” can be scary. 

  Students usually doubt if studying abroad is right for them because they’re scared of homesickness or the experience not fulfilling their expectations, so, is studying abroad actually worth it?

  Leaving your country and starting a “new life” requires a lot of courage, but is not a decision that people usually regret taking. When you leave your home country you don’t just study in a different environment, but you discover a new version of yourself you didn’t know existed. One of the benefits of studying abroad is self-development. Even though an exchange year is only a few months long, studies like SSA Education Abroad have proven that 95% of the students experience an increase in self-development.

  “A mind that is stretched by new experiences can never go back to its old dimensions,” said exchange student counselor Shelley Benson.

  Studying abroad doesn’t only change how you see yourself, but how you see everyone else. Coexisting with different cultures extends one’s way to see the world. Two SLOHS exchange students, senior Vittorio Staudacher and junior Cel Ferret Freixedes, tell us a little about their experience.`

  “Living an experience like this makes you mature and grow as a person, now I’m more conscious of how lucky I am,” said Freixedes. 

  Indeed, having to face new situations completely on your own does speed your personal growth, and living in a new culture makes you think outside the box. 

  “Now I see American culture through another point of view, before I just saw America the way the media portrayed it,” said Staudacher.

  Furthermore, leaving your home country takes a lot of courage, and that’s the scariest part of the program. 

  “I think the first few months are the most challenging. When the realization hits that you’re going to be separated from your friends and family for the entire year, it’s tough,” said Benson.

 The first months always hit hard.

 “Starting school was probably the hardest part for me, because everybody knew each other and I was kind of scared to introduce myself,” said Freixedes.

  In my own experience, adapting in general was strange. At first I thought I adapted pretty fast, but all of the sudden I would get sensations of homesickness, I could be surrounded by new friends doing something fun and then a wave of homesickness and thoughts of  “I don’t belong here” came through my mind out of nowhere.

 “Everything was so different at first… I didn’t quite like it. But however, when I started adapting I changed my opinion” said Staudacher.

  Emotional intelligence is something that is needed to study abroad, after all, being in the other part of the world alone can become harder if you can’t handle your emotions. But the same way you experience really harsh emotions you also experience wonderful ones when you adapt. 

  “About half way through the year, everything usually shifts and SLO starts to feel like your high school and your home,” said Benson.

  The experience completely shifts the moment you start making friends.

  “I’ve met a lot of new people, I’ve tried new activities I never thought I would do, I’ve visited new places, I’ve learned so much about everyone and everything,” said Freixedes.

  Doing an exchange year is something everyone should try. It helps improve social skills, language level, maturity, emotional intelligence, and even helps you understand more things about yourself you never understood before. Studying abroad made me discover that after all I can feel like home 6000 miles away from home.