Exchange Year: Expectations vs. Reality

Hey guys,
today I want to resolve some myths about exchange years and tell you what my expectations for my year abroad were and what my reality was.
I hope you enjoy.
Whether you are a future exchange student, a member of a host family or just anyone interested in the topic: please don't hesitate to leave your questions in the comments.
Lots of love,
Laura

[@billjones8324]

Hi Laura, I want to thank you so much for your videos. My family and I are about to host an exchange student from Germany. This is our first time hosting and your videos have been so helpful for us in preparing for our student to come. Our daughter made several friends with exchange students at her school last year and encouraged us to do this. We are all excited about how this year will go and very much want to make sure we do this well. Your videos have been amazing at giving us so much food for thought. I am sure we will make mistakes here and there, but I think you helped us to avoid several potential problems. Keep this up! I have suggested your videos to other families as well. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

[@honey27003]

Thank you so much for recommending my videos. It is comments like yours which are so motivating to me to always keep going. My life has been incredibly busy lately but I am already planning on bringing out a new batch of videos. It would be so helpful to me if you let me know any questions you have from a host family perspective. Don't worry about making mistakes. They are all part of the journey. The most important part is an open mindset and being excited. So you're on the right track there"

[@ASMRAzalea]

I’m from the U.S going to Thailand for exchange in a month and the idea of it still hasn’t set in. Thanks for sharing your experience with exchange as it helped me manage some of my expectations :D

[@honey27003]

Hey love,
I know the thought seems absolutely unreal until you actually get there. But I am sure it will be an amazing experience!

[@king_of_le_wheezes]

As a senior student living in a now small Texas town (as a non exchange student) I have a classmate that is an exchange student. I would like to get to know her better but I know also with the start of school everything is a little chaotic and confusing (she doesn’t understand a whole lot of English) and I would like to know if there’s any tips and tricks that you (or anyone) have that I should keep in mind when trying to get to know her. I am also a fairly quiet/shy person so I find talking to new people hard and I’ve found these videos very helpful when talking to new people in general or just trying to help out this new person.

[@balancedactguy]

Hello Laura! I have a bit of advice for you and your followers. I think in General don't go into new situations with many or ANY expectations and see how things go from there. If you go into situations with HIGH HOPES, you most often will be disappointed in one way or another. If you have Few or NO expectations, then any unpleasant events will not affect you as much AND any GREAT EXPERIENCES will make you very happy. I think this is true for every period of your life, not just as an exchange student. BTW you might tell future exchange students that if they come to the US to try and get to schools in Bigger Towns. That way their experience will more closely match what they have seen about US High Schools in Films they watched in their home country, as this is what they most often base their expectations on. Tschuess!

[@honey27003]

I agree! Managing your expectations and keeping them low is probably one of the most important lessons I have learned during my exchange year

[@balancedactguy]

Allo Laura!!! It's almost THANKSGIVING here in the US...I wish you could be here for a Great Thanksgiving Feast!! Maybe you can do your OWN Thanksgiving wherever you are.!! Not sure if you are in the UK or back in Germany! Take Care!! Tschuess!

[@balancedactguy]

Hallo Laura!! Thanks for your reply. I'd say keeping expectations low...or sort of Neutral is a good life strategy in all matters. I say adopt a "Wait & See" approach to life to avoid expectations causing sorrow! Take Care!! Aufwiedersehen !!

[@Peachessssss13]

Yea you kinda dodged a bullet not having to take the bus. I live in texas and the busses are the most miserable part of school. If you haven't had to be on a bus long term. I don't even know how to explain how terrible it is.

[@bigbutterfly4012]

Can you do a video on what to say and what not to say to your host family and other kids in your school

[@1More_Dreamer]

Will we be getting more videos?I am trying to win a free exchange at my school, in Brazil, and your videos are REALLY good and easy to understand, as I dont speak fluent english

[@sadafali9774]

What about pocket money and in your video what to pack for going to us you said that it would be great to bring 400 hundred dollars with you but what if you cant afford to bring that much how eould the things work then

[@bookishmillennial5297]

What things did you forget/ wish you had brought with you from day 1? Is there anything we could have ready in the room?

[@kesar.sharma]

hi laura! did u have to take any mid terms or exams? thats the one thing putting me off.....

[@bx9608]

Did you have to repeat years when you got back

[@madden_raeya]

I wanna do my grad 11 year and exchange year but it’s coming this September ( cause I’m oblivious and didn’t even think of doing an exchange and just studied college/ university abroad ) but no I’m scared I will be to late and had to sign up 6 months in advanced.

[@honey27003]

it might still work! Just check on the websites of some organizations. Sometimes they have late deadlines

[@BlaBla-km1lf]

What exchange company did you use?

[@honey27003]

Hi,
CIEE on the American and Experiment e.V. on the German side!

[@bestfishinthesea743]

I really Wanna go on an exchange year but I’m kinda introverted and im afraid I wont make any friends, im also afraid to lose my homecountry friends when I get back home:/

[@lionhubner6737]

Mit welcher Organisation warst du da ?

[@honey27003]

CIEE auf der amerikanischen und Experiment e.V. auf der deutschen Seite :D

[@nakamolprutsirisombat8198]

Are we allowed to bring an ipad to school there? Or a laptop ?

[@SK-lf1cr]

no,now some schools may be more lenient towards it. Even most schools don't allow phones out unless at lunch if that

[@Sachal_shah]

Can I exchange student do any Job during his exchange??

[@jjaanap]

No

[@annabell6198]

warum reden du nicht deutsch und bis doch deutsche oder nicht

[@river_rivero4]

She wants to tell her story in English so more people can understand