Enhancement By Exchange

I’m sure you have heard of the exciting events of May, 2018. After all, it was the first time the British royal family’s wedding cake wasn’t fruitcake. However, did you know where Harry and Meghan got married? The answer is Windsor Castle! And thanks to my exchange to England, I got a good look at the magnificent castle.

I went to England for an exchange in Grade 8, and I am going to share a bit about other people’s and my experience. Earlier this month, I sent out a survey to some people who went on exchange last year. Six people responded, and the places they went to were England, Australia, South Africa, and Singapore, respectively. The average rating of their exchange experiences was a four out of five, and all of them recommend other students go on exchange.

When you go abroad, the host family you live with is very important, and mine was extremely welcoming. They were very eager to share everything with me. I learned about the Tube and many London buildings after just one day. We even went to watch Les Misérables one night in a very old and fancy theatre. On my survey, the average rating for exchange families was a four out of five. Beatrice Dal Bello, a Grade 9 student who also went to England last year, remarked that her exchange family was very welcoming. Senaida Ng’s exchange family was nice to her and always asked her what she wanted to eat or do. Jacqueline Fell and her exchange family shared the same outlook of “the more you put into it, the more you get out”, and together, they had a great time. However, there were disappointing experiences with exchange families, as well. Some girls commented they had nowhere to go, because their exchange families didn’t take them anywhere.

Of course, your exchange partner is the essence of an exchange, and often the most stressful part. On my survey, the ratings for relations with partners were dispersed throughout one and five. My partner and I had a lot in common, which sparked a lot of conversation between us. However, that wasn’t the case in the beginning. My partner and I didn’t really talk, and I had to force myself to start a conversation. Later, when we got closer, she introduced me to her friends, and I hung out with them when she was busy. Jacqueline and Beatrice both got along with their exchange partners very well and had tight bonds with them. However, some other students weren’t too happy with their partners. Some responded that their partners didn’t want to hang out with them nor introduce them to their respective friends. Some people said their partners had very different personalities from theirs, and they had little in common.

Another big part of an exchange is, of course, the school. The students I polled rated their schools at mostly four out of five. My partner’s school was very beautiful and resembled Hogwarts with its antique buildings and beautiful campus. Similarly, Senaida expressed a positive experience with her school. The teachers involved her in the classes and still gave her time to do her own work. Jacqueline’s and Beatrice’s schools both offered more interesting courses. Jacqueline often felt homesick, as I was, but she overcame the challenge when she got to know more people in boarding. However, not everyone shared these great experiences. Some students’ schools were very strict and didn’t acknowledge their presence. The language barrier was also a big problem with some schools.

Hosting is another big part of an exchange, and its rating on my survey was evenly spread out from two to five. Most had a hard time balancing schoolwork and hosting. While it was great seeing my partner fall in love with Havergal, it was hard for me to balance hosting and staying on top of classes. However, Beatrice thought hosting didn't affect her schoolwork as much since her partner also had homework to do. Hosting can seem daunting, and I was stressed for it, too, so here are some pieces of advice I collected for you:

Beatrice: “Don’t worry about having to do everything. They’re just here to live as you do, not to see every site possible.”

Jacqueline: “Keeping a fun schedule with activities they like doing will keep their minds off homesickness, but don’t wear your partner out! Some downtime for you, your parents, and your partner is always great.”

Going on an exchange is not easy. Stress from catching up on missed work is natural, but never hesitate to ask for help from your teachers. Be prepared for a bit of culture shock, and know that it’s okay to take some time to readjust. Try to find even the smallest things in common with your partner because those will help you and your partner bond and overcome potential homesickness. Being on exchange taught me to approach things with an open mind and to savour every moment. Time flies by in a heartbeat, so make the best out of your experience and enjoy every moment. This experience will likely turn into beautiful memories and long-lasting friendships. I know it did for me.