Exchange year

A text that I wrote by myself about being an exchange student.

Someone asks "how is it to be a foreign exchange student?" This question is not just answered with a sentence or a word. Exchange means so much more and it can be so different for everyone. Every exchange student has their own experience but in most part it means for everyone the same things. Crying in the bathroom the first day of school because everyone in your class just stares at you like you're an alien, frustrating, when you put so much effort in an English essay and people still say it's not "proper" enough, lonely, when you don't know someone to eat lunch with or what to do on the weekends, missing your old life and knowing it still takes a long time until you can go home. To count the days until you get into the plane and will see all of your family and friends again but at the same time being afraid that everything changed and that you don't fit anymore in your life that you lived before the exchange year. 

Now comes the question "why should anyone do it when it is that hard?" 

Well, in all of this bad feelings and experiences. You'll always know it was worth it. There are these moments when you go out to lunch with a friend and you're sitting in the car the music loud and the windows down. You're singing, dancing and having fun with this person without thinking about going back. The moment when people try to talk to you in german and it just sounds so funny because it is so wrong pronounced. The moment your host family introduces you as their "new child" and it makes you feel like being a part of their lives. The moment when you can't stop laughing because someone seriously asked you if you can speak fluent german. All those stupid questions make you realize, people are interested in you and how it is from where you are. That makes you feel good.

You meet new people not only from the country you visit but also a lot from different countries that seemed to be placed in the same region/school/family as you. After an exchange the world is so much smaller.

Exchange is not a year in a life it is a life in a year.

Thanksgiving Holidays :)

The weekend before thanksgiving my host family and I made a trip to Colorado to go skiing. We were in Breakenridge which is a beautiful ski area with a gorgeous landscape. We've been there for 5 days and after that we had the thanksgiving holidays.

 A little collage with some photos of our trip.

 The ski Lodge we stayed in. It was perfect *-* , it has even an outside whirl pool!

 The view from one of the peaks.

 My host sister and me on thanksgiving.

Decorating for christmas. Hanging up our first ornament on the Christmas tree.

I was also black friday shopping what was a lot of fun and not so busy as expected. 

PS: Happy Kansas Day!

A few more photos

 Arrival at the airport in KC.

 Musical night in the Shawnee Mission park theatre.

 My first Baseball game. Go Royals.

 Some goofy photos with the other german exchange student before school started.

 My first Assembly.

 My first football game, I still don't understand football. :D

 Ready for the light show.

 Homecoming.

 Worlds of fun.

On my Birthday with my special american friend. Love her. <3

If you ever want me to answer any question to the events just comment. :)

The beginning

Tbt (Throw back time) to the beginning.

 My suitcase and carry-on luggage when I was still at home.

 On the Airport Hamburg.

 On the flight from Frankfurt to NYC.

 The AYA exchange students from the first Orientation.

My exchange student friends and me in front of the very tiny Statue of Liberty in the background.

First Post

Ok I guess I'm just starting. I hope it won't bother you that I'm already halfway done with my exchange year. :)

I'm in Shawnee, Kansas and I'm in a public high school with round 2000 students and about 8 exchange students.
My host family consist of 2 older host sisters and one younger host brother.
My organization is AYA or in Germany AIFS.
At first, I had a welcome family from which I had to switch out because of personal reasons of the family. We're still in contact and see each other regularly. Since I got here I already made a trip to Colorado to go skiing and in the beginning of my year I was in New York City for 3 days for the orientation of my organization. I already met some awesome people that I will never forget and memories that definitely will stay in my mind.
I want to share my experience a little bit with future exchange students to get them an impression of how it is.
If you have any questions you can always comment, I'm happy to help. :)
Enjoy!