I would recommend it 100 times

Clémence from Switzerland spent her exchange in Nebraska, USA.

Since I was little, my dream was to go to the USA. When I was ten, my brother did a high school exchange year, and looking at his videos made me want to go as well!

So, last year I left my hometown to go to Nebraska to start my 10-month adventure – my biggest dream and the best year of my life for sure.

How was it to live with a host family?

For me, it was quite hard to live with my host family at the beginning. At first, they were just strangers. . I was really shy and didn’t really try to talk to them that much. But, after the first months, I really started to open up to them, and step by step they became real family and we got really close. If I could have done one thing better, it is to have opened up more with my host family at the beginning.

How was school?

Going to school was so much fun and I wasn’t stressed at all. There were a lot of things to do such as sports and clubs. I had the opportunity to try everything I wanted! Everyone was so welcoming to me, they were interested in my home country and asked me a lot of questions. I did volleyball, cheerleading, basketball, and track and field! It was really fun, and I became really good at basketball even though I never played before. I was also in band and art.

Was it easy/hard to get friends?

It was pretty easy for me to make friends, because I was involved in lots of activities. I also went to a youth group and became really close to the people there.

What was a big challenge for you? How did you conquer it?

For me, it was the food. It’s really different from my home country and I felt like gaining a lot of weight. But, I started to cook a lot for my family to make sure I liked what I was eating. And also, to share a part of my country with them!

Also, at first, I was sad to be placed in a very small town. But it was actually the best! I loved my life there.

What was the best thing about your exchange?

The best thing about my exchange, was the basketball season. I made a lot of new friends!

A nice memory?

One of best the memories during my exchange year was prom. I went with another exchange student, and it was so fun to get ready and to go together. I also loved to watch the sunsets, sunrises, and the stars because they are amazing there.

Your best learnings?

One of the best things I learned from my exchange year is that time goes so fast. You need to enjoy every moment and take the best out of every situation. Also, my English has improved a lot and I’m so happy about that.

Can you recommend going?

I would recommend it 100 times if I could, it was the best experience of my life and I have no regrets. Anyone should experience a year abroad! You learn to live by yourself, to appreciate your own company and you grow up so much. You also discover a new version of yourself.

Can you recommend going with STS?

At first, I was struggling to find the right organization. I chose STS because I really felt like they cared about me. When I started my application, they were answering really fast and I liked that. Also, they were sending news a lot during my exchange year. They did challenges as well that made me feel like I was in a real community. They also organized a lot of activities during the year and they are all really nice.

How will the exchange affect your future?

Now it’s been almost a year since I’m back “home“. I’m right now finishing high school in Switzerland, waiting to be able to go to college in my host country. My exchange year made me realize where I feel like myself. Now I know that I want to spend my life in the USA. My English improved so much as well so now it’s easier to find a job. I’m giving English classes to kids to get some money to visit my friends back in my host country