June 29, 2015
  
Experiences

From "I Am So Out of Here" to a Precious Year

Ayusa Logo

U.S.A, the country of freedom, is where I spent my exchange student year with tons of experiences. I have been to several countries for study abroad programs, but I have never been away from home for this long. I was hoping that I can go to a place on the west coast, or the east coast of the U.S. such as LA, NYC, etc. However, I ended up in Syracuse, Kansas. I still remember the first thought that I had when I saw Kansas on the plane was "What kind of trouble did I get myself into?" And the first thought I had when I knew there are only 16 students in my school was "I am so out of here." But I told myself that I can't retreat because the environment doesn't fit me. I came all the way to the U.S. to experience different environments, so what I should do is to let me fit the environment.

Too much expectation often brings students down when they find out that the situation isn't like they thought. I could barely bear the disappointment when I found the truth that Syracuse, Kansas, is so small (approximately 1,800 people). It was a huge shock for a person that has lived in a big city for 15 years. I eventually overcame the difficulty and discovered good things about small towns. I found out that determination and patience are needed to solve every problem, and they sure helped me through any kind of problem while I was in the U.S. Life in the U.S. is very exciting for me because there were always new challenges. Every day is a whole new experience and every challenge is different from the previous one. I had many precious and unforgettable experiences during the year.

I concluded what I learned into three major points: First, it is very common for Americans to see foreigners. Because of that, exchange students are nothing special but simply people trying to accomplish their own American Dream. Because of that, I focused on conveying the many positive attributes of Taiwan to a people that might not otherwise learn. Second, selfishness and childishness are not going to do any good. Independence, responsibility and respect are required for a remarkable year. Third, but not least, students need humility and confidence at the same time. Be humble to receive, but be confident to give when exchanging cultures. I hope these valuable techniques will help future exchange students with their year in the U.S.

Exchange students have the responsibility to bring positive influences into the community. I am proud that I tried my best to learn about the U.S. and to introduce Taiwan. I appreciate Ayusa and I am thankful that I had the chance to be an exchange student. Maybe the processes weren't smooth, but the fruit of achievement will always be the sweetest.

Sharing cultures and building communities with high school exchange.

Start application