Lycée à l'étranger pour les 14–18 ans

Maddalena spent a year abroad in the USA

Wed Aug 06 2025

My exchange year in Oklahoma, USA.

I went for an exchange year in Bixby, Oklahoma. I chose to do a full year to get to know the culture and the English language better, and to live the life I’ve always dreamed of. Ever since I was young, I wanted to go to the United States, so my choice was pretty obvious.

The school was just like in the movies and everything was so perfect! I got to go to the football games that were magical. Making friends wasn’t hard, I joined the swim team, and I met a lot of people that quickly became some of my best friends. My host family was also perfect, and we have a really strong bond! I miss them so much.

The biggest difference between the US and Europe was probably the food and all the fast foods, but they were amazing! It was fun to try them all. The best thing about my experience was being able to share thoughts with people from different cultures. I also enjoyed the school system being more fun and relaxed.

I recommend everyone to do the exchange year. It makes you more mature and aware of who you are and how strong you are. My top advice is to be as open as you can, and to say YES to every new experience!

My exchange year was just how I expected it to be, and I would choose to do it with STS again and again! They were amazing, and I loved my host town. I didn’t need much support because everything turned out well, but they were always checking in on me.

Find out more