7 Reasons Why You Should Become an Exchange Student | Teen Ink

7 Reasons Why You Should Become an Exchange Student

May 10, 2017
By etidrofa BRONZE, Cagliari, Other
etidrofa BRONZE, Cagliari, Other
4 articles 0 photos 0 comments

I have always dreamed of becoming an exchange student, what about you?

No living formula is worth as much as the experience of a scholastic period abroad. It is one of the most beautiful adventures that you can live at a young age: a challenge that will prove to be useful and invaluable for the future.

In fact, there are many derivative enrichments: here are some summarized.

LEARNING A LANGUAGE: It is completely different to use a language in everyday life to communicate, especially with native speakers, than learning it by studying on books and speaking occasionally, for pleasure or for schoolwork. During a school exchange experience, you will not only have the opportunity to perfect the basic knowledge of some essential languages, enriching your own vocabulary of the local slang and specific vocabulary related to the school subjects studied and improving your pronunciation, but you could also learn unusual languages, such as Hungarian or Finnish, depending on where you go.

BECOMING MORE INDEPENDENT AND MATURE: A German study has found that exchange students show greater mental openness, commitment, extrovery, availability and stability than peers. Abroad - almost certainly - there will be no one to make you the washing machine, to cook every meal, to accompany you every morning to school ... you will be forced to count only on you. You will have to start all over again, without relying on your parents' support and on who you know. And, when you will be back, you will be more mature and you will know how to handle your life alone.

NEW CULTURE: You will finally live what you have always and only heard about, ascertaining whether the prejudices that have always been tied to a certain nation/country are true or not. You can live the same festivals in a different way or even be involved in other unknowns, you could taste the local dishes, discover  the national traditions, understand the mindset and humor of that population.

100% TOURIST: Living in a country as a real resident will also allow you to visit the places of greatest interest and to find places where, if you traveled to that nation as a tourist, you would never know the existence of. Overwhelming views, wonderful sunsets and sunrises, as well as museums, amusement parks and much more will be completely in front of your eyes.

WELCOME NEW ME: You will be able to free yourself from the masks and show yourself in the most complete genuinity. No one will know you in that countr so, even if there may be prejudices about your birthplace, no one will judge you. You will be able to dedicate freely to your passions and interests, perhaps discovering new ones, and you will understand who you really are. When you’ll come back you might recognize yourself in a completely different person from the one who had left.

SCHOOL: you will get in touch with a new school environment to appreciate its benefits and differences and to face the future with greater awareness. You might devote yourself to different subjects and perhaps you will acquire a foreign diploma or a certificate of your level in another language that will be useful for your future. You might appreciate so much a certain system that you could decide to continue studying there and not returning home anymore.

A NEW LIFE: You will also have the opportunity to create solid and lasting relationships with people living in different parts of the world, whether they are exchange students or local. Often, with host families, there are strong and strong ties that might not break when you’ll return home. Within miles and miles, there will be a second family for you and dozens of friends ready to welcome you and share with you the exchange experience and future experiences.
 


The author's comments:

I have been an exchange student and I found the experience really useful and fun. I would recommend it to anyone because it enriched me as a person and broadened my horizons.


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