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All my insecurity faded away when I was flying above St. Louis. Being amazed by the arch I gradually got more excited and when my host family eventually welcomed me at the airport I was just happy.”
I really don’t know where to start at when I think back about the things I have been able to experience throughout this unforgettable chapter of my life. It’s a tremendous amount of experience you gain. This exchange just has passed by as though someone snapped their fingers, but when you look back to the numerous things you’ve done with friends and family it really brings back multiple memories.
Unknowing what would happen, I entered the plane with a lot of insecurity. I am not even gonna lie, at the point I got to my seat I just wanted to turn back and leave the plane. However it was for sure one of my best decision to stay in that plane and tackle this year. I am glad I used the opportunity I was given by my parents to go abroad and dive into a new culture, new place and new people. All my insecurity faded away when I was flying above St. Louis. Being amazed by the arch I gradually got more excited and when my host family eventually welcomed me at the airport I was just happy.
The first few months I had been busy learning English, getting used to school and playing sports. My weekly schedule just looked completely different compared to mine back in Germany, so that it took me some time to get used to it. Playing soccer during the Fall was a really good opportunity to make my first friends and get to know people. If you decide to be an exchange student you just got to be receptive and open minded in order to get out of your comfort zone and get to know people, which is the best way to get to know your surroundings such as the city and the school. My first days at the High school were great, most of the students are usually really curious and encouraged to get to know new people, so that I had no problems to find a table with guys to sit with during lunch on my first day. Over all the teacher student relationship at my high school appears to me to be more intimate, compared to my school in Germany. English at school wasn’t really a problem to comprehend, even if I had some difficulties, the teacher was fairly lenient and would let me use my phone in order to translate a word. When I got to the point when I wouldn’t have to focus on the language part anymore school got way easier.
My relationship with my family has been great, for sure there’s been occasions where you do something wrong but adapting to a new family and their rules makes you learn more and shapes you to a grown up. You’ve got to try to put forth an effort in being part of your family which means to talk to them and not to chill in your bed all day I am so grateful and appreciative for everything they have done for me since day one and for being part of this amazing family. This will always be a big part of me.
Now this chapter is coming to an end and I can’t find any words. I am trying to spend as much time as possible with friends and family in order to prepare for my departure.
Mark in Illinois