Elene went on exchange to the USA

10 months in America: What I learned, experienced, and loved.

Hi, my name is Elene, and I spent my exchange year 2024/2025 in the USA. I was there for 10 months and experienced a full school year at an american high school.

My exchange organization was STS, and i was very satisfied. Everything was super well organized, and the staff were always friendly and helpful. Whenever I felt worried or homesick, they took me seriously and truly supported me. I always felt well taken care of and never alone.

Why did I want to do an exchange year?

My older brother did one himself and often talked enthusiastically about it. That really made me curios and I absolutely wanted to have those kinds of experiences myself.

I chose to go to the USA

I chose the USA because I already knew and liked the country. I had been to the USA a few times as a child with my family on vacation, and I already found the country fascinating back then. But this time, I didn't just want to go on vacation. I wanted to really get to know what everyday life is like there. I wanted to go to school, live with a host family, meet new people, and truly learn the language. And of course, I also had that little dream of the classic American high school life, just like in the movies with football games, homecoming, clubs, and maybe even cheerleading. I wanted to find out whether life there really is like in the shows or videos you see from other exchange students.

My high school

Now I can say a lot of things really were as cool as I had imagined, and some things were even better. My high school was in a small town, but the school itself was pretty large. There was a football field, two gyms, and some clubs and after- school activities. I joined Track & Field and even cheerleading! I didn't know cheers at all, but everyone was super nice and helped me out. I immediately felt welcome.

I also thought it was really cool how much hands-on learnings you could do. There were classes like catering, baking, or other interesting classes. Those were classes we don't really have in my home country. You could try out a lot and actually have fun while learning!

A special highlight

A special highlight was our cheerleading competition in March. We had to practice a lot, but we won first place! Sometimes I even had sports practice twice a day because l was doing Track at the same time. But it was so worth it. One morning we had to get up super early. We were all really tired. But during practice we listened to music, danced together, and had such a good vibe. That was one of those moments where I really felt like we were a family.

Not everything was always easy

Of course, not everything was always easy. I actually had to switch schools three times and had three different host families, because things didn't work out quite right at the beginning. But my third family was truly perfect for me. They were so warm, open, and welcomed me like their own child. I'm so thankful I got to be with them. We went on trips together, played games in the evenings, cooked, or just went out to eat. We shared so many amazing moments together.

Making friends

Making friends wasn't so easy at first, especially at my first school because it was huge and you could easily get lost in the crowd. But at my last school, in a smaller town, it was totally different. Lots of people already knew me and my name before l even arrived there. Many people came up to talk to me. Sure, I also had to approch people myself but I learned to do that over time. And that really helped me become more confident.

I learned so much about myself

I learned so much about myself during my exchange year. For example, that you sometimes just have to be brave, even if it feels weird at first. I used to be quite shy, but l became much more open over time. I learned that you're also responsible for your own happiness. People don't always come to you. You sometimes have to take the first step. And I'm really proud I did that.

The Americans

Something that surprised me was how open and helpful people in the USA often are. It's easy to start conversations, even with people you don't know. Many will just say something nice or offer to help, which I thought was really lovely. Another thing that was different was religion. Religion plays a bigger role for many people. In my town, a lot of people regularly went to church. That was a bit unfamiliar at first, but also interesting to experience. My host family took me with them, and it gave me a whole new perspective on daily life there.

It was truly worth every second

Looking back, I can only say that it was truly worth every second. I had so many new experiences, I grew as a person. I made new friends, and created memories l'll never forget. Of course, there were tough moments too, but those were the ones that made me stronger.

My advice

My advice for anyone thinking about doing an exchange year is be open, say yes to everything, even if it feels unfamiliar or difficult. Don't shut yourself off! Try to take in as much as you can. Sometimes you might feel out of place and, for sure, uncertain in the beginning, but that goes away. And try not to constantly think about home or compare everything to your home country, Just live the moment, the time will pass faster than you think.

It's absolutely worth it! And yes, I'm super glad I chose STS. Without their help, support, and organization, my year wouldn't have been nearly as amazing as it was.

Find out more

• Read more student stories from the USA
• Read more about a high school exchange in the USA
• See all our high school exchange destinations