Exchange ♥

this is not meant to scare anyone but this are just some things that can be stressful/exhausting at the beginning of your exchange and I find it helps to know that ahead of time. Knowing that everyone struggles will decrease the frustration.

you will be SOOO fucking tired the first few days because it is just so much to process for your brain. everything is knew: the environment, the language, all the people. it is like you are newborn again. the tiredness alone could be enough to make you cry at some point. Don’t worry tho. I know it sounds horrible now but once you are over it you can be damn proud of yourself for starting to adapt to a new place.

public transportation can be so fucking complicated. You arrive there assuming it will work like at home because that seems like the only logical way things could be but all of a sudden. There’s all this different ticket options and none of them make sense and you are not sure which one you need. You can’t seem to figure out how or where to stop the bus or wait for it or in which direction which train goes. You have no fucking idea how long it will take you to get anywhere. Ask someone for advice a friend, family member, advisor at uni or school. Someone can definitely help you. Just plan an extra 10 minutes to figure everything out.

getting lost at school and not even knowing how to ask someone where to go because you don’t fucking know where to go. Just ask around with whatever info you know eventually you will find someone who knows where you have to go.

teaching each other swear words in your languages

trying to learn the unwritten social rules what do you mean you have to take your shoes off inside

knowing more people from other countries than the country you’re in

“I should come visit you” 

how do people not have [food item] in the supermarket??????

struggling with the international student office 

“lmao why would you come here to study this country sucks” 

getting strangely patriotic even though you weren’t before

but seriously it’s weird I kinda love my own country more now?

teaching each other swear words in your languages

trying to learn the unwritten social rules what do you mean you have to take your shoes off inside

knowing more people from other countries than the country you’re in

“I should come visit you” 

how do people not have [food item] in the supermarket??????

struggling with the international student office 

“lmao why would you come here to study this country sucks” 

getting strangely patriotic even though you weren’t before

but seriously it’s weird I kinda love my own country more now?

teaching each other swear words in your languages

trying to learn the unwritten social rules what do you mean you have to take your shoes off inside

knowing more people from other countries than the country you’re in

“I should come visit you” 

how do people not have [food item] in the supermarket??????

struggling with the international student office 

“lmao why would you come here to study this country sucks” 

getting strangely patriotic even though you weren’t before

but seriously it’s weird I kinda love my own country more now?

Alright people, I need help!

My university has an exchange program and this year the senior undergrads get to go to London!

Mainly, we’re going to participate in a course, so it’s really an academic trip, more than a tourist one, but still, we get nights and weekends free.

Also, it’s nearly mandatory that we stay in a family home, not a hotel, as part of the cultural immersion program. But if we know someone, it might make it cheaper (so far we’re between $6.000 and $7.000). Anyone want to meet a tumblr friend and help me spend less money?

There’s a 1-week course and a 2-weeks one, still not defined which one I’ll go.

It’s in October, exact date not defined yet.

Help me ladies, this is a dream come true! Not exaggerating at all, I have dreamed about going to London all my life, ever since I was a child, I have always been in love with England and my biggest dream is to move there forever! When they announced this year’s trip was London I screamed and I have been in tears all night - I’M GOING TO LONDON!

Not to mention I might get the chance of stumbling into Tom hehehehe

1. journaling

2. taking pictures of some random things

3. trying some weird food

4. buying a book in my host countries language

5. going to a disco

6. traveling with my organisation

7. a lot of small souvenirs

8. trying a bit harder to learn the language

9. making more friends in my host country

10. celebrating the shit out off holidays

11. having fun on my birthday

12. buying a flag of my host country

13. going to a sports event in my host country

14. doing something fun with my host family

15. take a trip with a friend

16. trying a new sports

17. eating as if I were going to die tomorrow

18. taking videos

19. seriously trying to ace a test

20. trying to regularly watch a TV series that’s an original in my host country

21. do something I’m scared of

22. Look at every single church

23. take a picture of all the food

24. random selfies

25. sending my friends/family at home pictures

26. sending my friends a long message in my host countries language just to brag

27. spend way too much money

28. try somthing that’s totally not from your host country but you don’t have in your country

29. take pictures of the airport

30. take pictures when I arrived

31. take pictures when I left

32. told that boy that I like him

33. dressed a little slutty

34. trying weird products

35. buying presents for my friends back home

36. writing on my tumblr

37. getting excited about little things

38. take pretty pictures of myself

39. take pretty pictures of landscapes

40. trying not to talk to my friends at home at all for at least a month

41. writing a letter to myself before going on exchange

42. spending more time outside

43. not worrying about school

44. crushing on boys but not caring too much

45. hanging out with people I normally wouldn’t hang out with

46. becoming a fan of a regional sports club

47. going to every into meeting

48. trying to teach someone my language

49. cry less

A list of helpful tips for exchange students, based on what I did or wish I had done…

Talk. To everyone. Everyone ever.

Read. Start small. Childrens’ books are your friends. Especially the ones with pictures.

Forgive yourself for having terrible pronunciation and vocabulary.

Laugh about your terrible pronunciation and vocabulary.

Accept the fact that things WILL be awkward.

Establish the house rules as soon as you enter the house.

FOLLOW THE HOUSE RULES.

When you go to school, say hello to everyone on the first day. And the second. And every day after that.

Ask questions. About everything.

Do not stop asking questions.

Even if your classmates laugh. Or tease you.

Help out in the house, without being asked.

Join something and meet people! A weekly gym class. An art class. Music classes. Volunteer work. Tutoring. A choir. Anything, really.

Try the food!

Take lots of pictures of things, people, food, yourself!

Doing nothing because you’re shy is not an option.

Write down important things! Passwords for Internet, your new address, phone numbers, etc.

Apologize for making mistakes, and learn from them.

Don’t take things too seriously. You’re not here to be perfect. You’re here to make mistakes and learn things.

Remember that learning things requires you to suck at them at first.

Don’t worry about your schoolwork too much. Try to get good grades, but take a day off every once in a while to hang out or see your new environment.

You WILL get lost. Accept this fact.

Be honest. Be excruciatingly honest. To the point of extreme awkwardness and possible emotional breakdown.

Always knock on the door before coming in. This is really important.

Spend time with your host siblings! Try to teach them English, even if they hate it. Just follow them around speaking English and take away their iPads when they ignore you.