Most young people nowadays seek for experiences that would make them different from others who are the same age. In Brazil, where I am from, teenagers and young adults often go on exchange programs to learn the language from the country of choice, usually English speaking countries. Being fluent in a second language, especially English, will make them “better” in the eyes of employers later in life. But in the United States, students are pressured to find extracurricular activities such as sports, jobs, volunteer work, clubs and trips, mainly because of college applications, since schools want to know why you are “special” compared to others. Going on an exchange program will, with no doubt, make you outstand.

Here’s the question: how will going on an exchange program make me so remarkable? Well, when you go to a different country, you are leaving your comfort zone. That means you are leaving everything you’ve known all your life, behind. You are going to explore a different culture, a different language, a different weather, a different life. Without mentioning that you are leaving your family and friends...Now tell me, how is that NOT going to make you special? When people choose to go on an exchange, they usually stay abroad for a long period, 6 months to a year. That is enough time to test your adaptability, your persistence and resilience.

Now, where to start? First of all, you need to talk to your parents and see if they think it’s a good idea for you to study abroad and if they can afford it. You should also have a chat with your school counselor, to check if it would be okay to “miss” 6 months to a year of school. But keep in mind that you will be going to school, wherever you choose to go.

  Once you have the approval from your parents and school counselor, let the fun begin! Well, to me at least, it was a lot of fun. You should first choose a country and then look for programs/institutions that are best for you. You will need to do a lot of research and find out where you really want to go. Remember: choose a country where everything (or almost everything) is different from your home. Think outside the box! That will make your experience even better. Also, if you already study a foreign language, choose a country where they speak that language. You will be able to expand your knowledge and become more fluent.
Selecting an institution can be hard. You need to find a program that is right for you. For example, if you want to pay a little less, you could opt for a program in which you don’t really choose where you want to go. I will be cheaper, but it can be really tricky, since you could be placed anywhere in the world. There are also less expensive programs in which while you are abroad, your family is hosting an exchange student as well . Now, if you are willing to pay a little more, there are many programs that let you choose the country you want to go, the state/province, the city and sometimes even the school you want to attend!

When I was looking for institutions, I selected one that had a program similar to the one I last mentioned. It was quite expensive, but it was the best for me. They let me choose everything but my host family (of course!). Remember, if you select a program like that, you will probably be more inclined to choose some place similar to your home. For example, you live in the United States and you choose Canada (the English part) for your exchange. Let’s be honest, that’s not really leaving your comfort zone… You want to experience new things!
Leaving my comfort zone was not hard. I was living in Brazil at that time and there’s no similar place in the world. Of course I could have chosen Portugal because of the language or somewhere in the Caribbean because of the beaches, but I wanted a new life as well as becoming fluent in English. So I chose to go to Canada. I was used to living in a big city, Sao Paulo, so I decided to go to a really small town in Ontario, called Stratford. There were only 3 high schools there, so I chose the one “downtown”. My host family information came only 1 month before my departure, and they usually do that in case something happens and you can’t stay with them anymore, then you won’t be attached.

It took me roughly a year and a half from research phase to departure. During that time I had a lot to do. I was in school but my grades from that semester would not count later, because the school year in Canada was different. However, my parents made me study as if they were going to count… I also had to take tests to determine my English level, how independent I was, and things like that. I’m not sure if the personality tests were very accurate, but I guess they were not that important after all. And last but not least, I had to prepare myself psychologically for all the changes. I had to prepare myself for leaving my family and friends and for the possible difficulties I would encounter.

Now let’s talk about packing! It can be very complex, especially if you are a girl. You have to keep in mind that you are leaving for a long period, but also that you are probably buying a lot of stuff. When I was packing I wanted to take all of my things, but I knew that was not possible so I made a selection of what I thought I would wear/use. But even after the selection, my suitcases were huge! The weather in Canada was totally different from home so I had to buy many clothes. Mainly winter clothes.

Yet, clothes were the least of my problems when packing. While getting everything ready, I kept thinking: “OMG I’m really leaving everyone” “This is not a dream Mariana, this is really happening” “You better keep it together girl!”. And then the departure day arrived… My mom rented a bus to take all of my friends to the airport. Saying goodbye to my family and friends was one of the hardest things ever. But I kept it together and went through the gate. Then I knew it was the beginning of a new life.