View from beyond the big ocean
February 2016. I was sitting on the lesson of Biology in a classroom of our Grammar school, when I got an epic message… Next year I will officially travel to USA, the family for me has been found! Many people do not realise, that your adventure starts at home. You write with the family, get know each other and plan how great it will be when you finally arrive. I have been writing with my host sister for 5 months, almost every year. Everything looked fantastic. The week after my long-awaited arrival, she started to behave in reserving way and practically ignored me. Of course, it was not something I expected. After two months I changed the family due to big differences and relationship with the host sister. I learned that internet and photos will not show you, who the person in reality is.
Despite the first bad experience, my new family is great and I have a feeling, that we know each other for years.
For me as a student from Slovakia, the biggest shock and also a challenge was the school.
Forget about the educational system you know! The options of subject are endless. In case of choice, I had big problems not to choose cooking, drama or dancing lesson instead of maths, hisoty of USA or Anatomy of human body. But I have found out, that even lesson like Anatomy is very interesting. The cutting of sheep breain, breaking and repeated constructing of bones, cutting of heart or dissection of cat is on the daily schedule, haha. In addition to endless choice of subjects, there are also many options for choosing a sport. First four months, the football matches took place, where almost the whole school came. All students packed in O zone where it lives all the time. Baby pouder flies all over the place, the music is roaring from the speakers and crazy boy is running around with “kiss cam”. Yes, crazy Americans.
Concerning the people, in the beginning I came as a animal from ZOO. All around were fascinated by the fact I am from foreign country, they wanted to know everything including accent of course. This is something they love. I had the opportunity to get know new people, friends for the whole life, thanks to whom I will have beautiful memories on this year. For example, my secret birthday party, on which people I did not know came or baking of cookies, which we distributed to friends in front of the entrances. eve
I experienced a couple of interesting feasts during 6 months I spent there. A unique American Helloween, when you are going in masks to neighbours and ask for sweeties (I won’t lie, it was really strange), Thanksgiving Day with the whole American family and crazy Christmas, where i had to wait for the gifts till the morning. In addition, it was also the election and all the crazy stuff around it. Thanks to my AFS agency I had the opportunity to know people from around the world, share my adventures with them and listen to theirs. You are still with somebody, who understands your situation, because he or she probably experiences the same.
By means of this article I wanted to motivate people, who had such a dream. Do it! Travel around the world! The world does not end beyond the Czech Republic. Exchange program gives you a lot. You will learn that things which seem to be obvious at home are not so obvious elsewhere.
You will know a lot of new people, try new food, traditions, sports, ball… And of course, you will year a new language.
