what exchange students don't tell you
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- čas přidán 2. 05. 2020
- i just got home from my exchange year in the USA, and here is a video about all the hard sides of being an exchange student, that maybe most exchange students don't talk about/tell you. i'm sorry for being a pretty negative video, but i just want to share my experience and thoughts because i really wish i had heard this before i left!
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》Instagram / christinaedvar
》Pinterest / christinaedvardsen
》VSCO vsco.co/christinaedvar/
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FAQ (that no one has ever asked me but I thought would be interesting ;))
》i'm 17 years old (12th grade)
》i am Norwegian, but i'm currently on exchange in Colorado, USA!
》i film with Canon EOS 700D/GoPro Hero 7 Black/iPhone XR
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MUSIC
disclaimer: I do not own any of this music, all credit goes to its owners
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hope u enjoyed, and i'll see you in my next video 🤪🧡 - Zábava
I'm sorry to all the people who had to leave earlier than expected
Sophie Düpont mine isn’t even happening anymore
@@inhle1688 oh no..
mine was supposed to be in one month, but now it is only going to be next year
Giulia Campos bro same! I’m really bummed out about it because I planned to leave my school after I finished it but now I cant
Yep. Our exchange student went home early due to the pandemic.
As an international student in the US, this is the most relatable video I have ever seen. Especially, when you considered yourself to be good in English, it really sucks when you just freeze when a native speaker approaches you and when you are talking with another American, you kinda play it safe by being monotonous and boring rather than joking since you are not familiar with the culture at all and don't want to seem weird or offensive.
I totally relate!! Thank you for sharing
Americans: but weird and offensive is our culture
Jesus Christ loves us unconditionally+eternally!He cares for us so much that He sacrificed Himself on the cross for our sins!God is so good!💗✝️
Girl your accent is really good
aw thank you!!💛
The foreign commentary that everyone is lookin for
If my English is wrong pls correct
Give like if u are from Europe
You need to put a period at the end of the sentence.
Your English is great mate, just use more punctuation
Born in Italy
Living in Switzerland
the saddest part is that it feels like you have to be another person while you're away and everytime someone from home asks how you're doing, you just gotta suck it up and tell them ur ok cause u dont wanna worry them, man i literally cried every night for the first 2 weeks i was there and i can tell you, it was super hard. although 6 months was only a short amount of time but it actually felt like 6 years. and on top of that, even though i speak english in my own hometown but it's totally different to when you speak english with a native speaker and having to keep up is just super exhausting. oh and last thing, i totally understand about the friends part. :) but anyway, super happy i got to go on an exchange student program to the uk and i hope you had a great time in the usa too!
i totally understand, thank you so much for sharing!! 💓
Oh! I really wanna go to UK as well! :3
Omg...it’s so weird to be back in this comment section after like 3 months or so (also kinda weird saying this too lol, but anyways)
About 3 months ago or so I saw this video the first time (before my exchange) i was supposed to go to the US, but mainly because of Corona we «had» to change destination so we chose the UK
Now after being here about a month coming back to this video I can relate to this comment so f much and the video
And tbh i’m still kinda upset about the fact that I were not able to go to the us bc things would definitely be very different by now..
@@almajensen6878 Aww, that's kinda sad :( But at least you were able to go at all! :3 Most in my country got cancelled entirely
@@kirkkek yeah, that’s true, but honestly after being here 1 month and some days I really miss home and want back
..and I know people are going to be like «oh but it’s only been a month, you’ll get over it» or something like that..like yes, maybe, but at the start i was like this might actually work, but now😶 uh uh... like sometimes you just know..when it’s not supposed to be like that and yeah that’s the case for me at least
It’s honestly been a struggle ever since, but you know i’ve got to just put on a smile and go through it🙃
You're from Norway?? I thought you were American because you have NO accent 😳😳 girl thats awesome
what really thank you!! ❣️
Dont you think she would have lost it after being in America?
Emily the vintage girl next door
some people never lose their accent because either they’re surrounded with people who have broken sounding English [while still being grammatically correct] or can’t articulate as well, besides older people have a harder time getting rid of their accents than younger
Also depends what country their from
Christina Wedvik I can hear it but it’s beautiful ❤️
Chloe Gingerich Everyone had an accent 😭
I'm an American who went to China for one semester and I had a hard time adjusting at first too. I just felt really shy and uncomfortable (especially since I only had been learning mandarin for six months by the time I left) so I really feel you there. But I overall had a great trip and I made some lifelong friends. (also speaking as an American most american students DO NOT have stereotypical 'american' high school experience. So it's totally okay that you didn't get that either.)
thank you so much for sharing!! it means a lot ❣️
That's y you start learning it before like I am I'm 10 and getting ready to go to Germany if I get accepted
How did you’ll become friends if they don’t know English
@@Dylan-bj4fx actually since the Chinese students I met had been learning english since they were young, they're english was almost fluent. I also made friends with the other Americans who came to China with me. We are from different social groups in our American school so I would prob have never become friends with them if I hadn't gone to China.
Reason why this Korean comedian left everything behind to do standup comedy in Spain🇪🇸
czcams.com/video/UZVVjGosCYA/video.html
omg i‘m here rn and i felt the same about friendships. they’re friends since elementary school and have like 4 close friends and the rest are „fake“ snapchat friends
and a lot of people i talked to felt the same :( 💛
Christina Wedvik yes same. i will appreciate my friendships way more when i go back to switzerland
Oh gosh I’m American and some people really are like that but I promise there are people who are more open to new friend ships!
Maya are u still on an exchange?
@@belinda336 no:( I went on exchange from 08/2019 to 06/2020
i’m american and have been wanting to do an exchange year when i’m a bit older! i totally agree that Americans will stick with each other. i moved to a different state three years ago and it was SO hard making deep, real friendships.
that’s so cool!! where do u think u wanna go? 🤪
and i’m glad to hear that! ❣️
Christina Wedvik maybe the dominican republic or spain!!! i really have no idea. how did you know where you wanted to go?
Europe welcomes you with open arms :)) Americans in particular are very very popular here due to media influences. They'll love you!
@@NoctLightCloud is that so lol i feel like everyone hates us
@@Jose-wd6kn only when you stereotype people
took me four minutes and a half to realize she's talking high school exchange and not the one in uni lmaooo
ooh haha sorry lol 🥴😜
Omg it feels so good knowing that I’m not the only one who felt like everyone got along with their family so good but I was not feeling like a part of the family at all. And it’s hard to make really good friends
thank you for sharing, you’re definitely not alone ❣️
I‘m an exchange student in Florida right now and i can relate with nearly everything you said, I also felt like I had no personality at first but most people were really interested in me and I luckily made friends pretty fast, but that is different from every exchange student. I‘m only here for three months now and I have to leave next month, Corona really destroyed my year and I can’t help but compare myself to other exchange student who did more things because they came earlier etc.
rly like ur channel btw 💗
aww i'm both sorry and happy to hear! I hope you enjoyed every second you could 💛 thank you!!
Hii I have to go in America for three months too... Do you have Instagram? I want to talk about It with An another person that experienced this.. let me know💕
Which program?❤
I am supposed to leave in August and I can't wait aaaaaa
Gaia Colleoni ahhh how fun!! 🤩🤩
Gaia Colleoni good luck have fun
Buona fortuna!!
Gaia Colleoni hopefully corona isn’t as big by then, my exchange for April got cancelled
Good luck 😆😆
I didnt expect that it's so difficult to find friends because of the language because you already knew English. I went to Sweden and didn't know a single word so I have always imagined that it's way easier in English
me neither! I really think the situation I was in at school and in the family made this hard for me, but other people have been doing fine as well. that is SO cool!! När lämnade du? 🤪
@@ChristinaWedvik i slutet av mars på grund av corona! Hoppas du hade det kul i USA. Btw jag har börjat lära norska i karantän:D eftersom jag valde Sverige och Norge och min organisation har bestämt för mig😊
snowflake . ååå det er så kult haha 🤩🤪
@@ChristinaWedvik jag håller med 😂
heyy idk if its weird to ask this through yt comments lol but I just cant find anyone else who went to Sweden, are people racist? I'm from Turkey and I'm scared I will have to deal with racism and stuff. Also was is hard making friends?
I’m a student at a school with a lot of exchange students so I really enjoyed this as some insight into what the people around me are experiencing!
I’m so glad to hear, thank you for sharing!!
Which program?❤
I feel you soooo much! I am probably gonna make a video about this too because I truly had some *special* experiences during my exchange year. I was unsure whether I should talk about it but your video encouraged me to. SO thanks for making it! I also made a video on mistakes I made as an exchange student and on how to survive the first month hoping to help out future generations of exchange students.
Great video! This is literally how I felt throughout my exchange year and I always felt bad about myself because of it. Thank you for sharing and now I know that I’m not the only one
thank you so much for saying that! ❣️
Yes thank you finally! Everyone I see on social media only seems to show the amazing/fun parts of exchange, which is great and all, but it gives an inaccurate representation to people of what exchange is actually like. Its not always going to be amazing and fun, there will be days where you just feel sad, overwhelmed, stressed, lonely, and like everyone else is having a better time than you and that's ok! I went on an exchange to France (from US) at 14/15 in 2015/16 and I have to admit it was really hard in the beginning; had health issues the first 4 months, came with zero french knowledge (had never taken a french class), was staying with a 70+ year old couple that was amazing/ so sweet but knew 0 english and couldn't really use technology (grateful for that now because it really pushed me to learn french), even had to switch classes because of some rude/mean students. You will go through some rough times while on exchange its inevitable, but with all that said it was still probably the best experience of my life. I acknowledge and appreciate all the good times I had but I also recognize and admit I had quite a few nights in the beginning where I just laid in bed crying because I had zero friends, couldn't communicate well with anyone, missed home, was sick, etc (I was just straight up not having a good time😂). So if you go on exchange and experience these down times just know that you aren't alone and reach out to other people on exchange going through the same thing as you. I can guarantee no matter how much fun it seems like they're having on social media or happy and cheery they seem they have had days where they felt exactly the same as you do, its part of the experience❤️ I'm sorry to everyone whose exchange was cut short I can't imagine how hard/disappointing that must have been. For people planning on going on exchange in the future, have fun and make the most of the time that you're there because although it feels slow in the moment it goes by so fast😭
Also random but I also spilled water all over my Mac while on exchange but thankfully it happened the week before I was leaving to go home so I just stuck it in rice and had my mom deal with it when I got home😅
Thank you so much for sharing, wow!! 🧡 I totally agree with you, I haven’t cried as much in my life as I did during my exchange year lol, but I seriously had the time of my life and don’t regret it at all. It sucks so much I kind of lost motivation for everything right when I got home because it was cut short, and there were so many things in the end of the year that I was looking so forward to, but I just try to remember that a lot of people didn’t even get the chance to experience the 7 months I got, so with time that went fine hehe.. Well anyways I’m so glad you had a nice year, and hopefully your mac is alive!! 🥵🤪 Thank you so much for commenting ❣️
@@ChristinaWedvik Coming back from exchange is always so hard and I can imagine its a lot harder when you come home unexpectedly early. When I got back I cried a lot because I didn't know what to do, actually had a hard time understanding english the first few days weirdly enough, and felt like I couldn't really relate to my friends because they had no way of understanding what I went through/how it felt coming back. Thankfully I went to the beach for a week with friends the first week back and honestly don't know how you guys coped coming home and having to go straight into quarantine that would've broke me, you are so strong❤️ I haven't been back to France since i left in 2016 and miss it so much. I hope I can go back when covid clears up, whenever that may be😅
Thank you so so much for letting us know about what's unexpected about the experience! I owe ya thanks!
you're so so welcome! even though it is hard, i had the absolute time of my life and i look back at it with only gratefulness which i'm mad i didn't talk more about in the video, but thanks for the comment!
It’s so cool to listen to the point of an exchange student from Norwegian! I’m an exchange student too (calendar year), from Brazil, living in Virginia. I’ve had a lot of experiences like yours, especially about changing host family and stuff!!! It’s so amazing how we can fit into a new lifestyle so many miles away from home, even though we go through a lot of bad things lmao, it just grows us a lot!!!! You are definitely not alone!!!
I totally agree, thank you so so much for sharing!! 🤩
I felt the same way. I'm happy you made this video because I think exchange students need to see this!
thank you so much!!
Hey :) I'm on exchange to Estonia and can definetly relate! One thing I really struggled with are all the expectations exchange students have. You're supposed to have friends, get along with your family, feel comfortable at school, know the language... But to be honest nobody experiences such a perfect exchange year (and that's something that took me time to realize). In the end we can just all try to make the best out of our experiences, even if some things are not 100% perfect!!
I totally agree with you!! Thank you so much for sharing ❣️
You really covered most of struggles...am also an exchange student in US right now.
cool!! where are you from?
@@ChristinaWedvik am from Nigeria
@@jamesvictory83 really? Did u go direkt from Nigeria to us
Thank you for this! I’ve been thinking about doing an exchange year in Norway for a little while now so these videos are really helpful.
wooow that so fun!! 🤩🤩
This just popped up on my recommendation and I absolutely loved your vid(youtube knows me too well). I'm from Korea and I was an exchange student in Michigan as well during 2018-2019. I can totally relate to everything you said on the vid. I feel like those things u mentioned are kind of inevitable for exchange students. Comparing myself to other exchange students, and having hard times to make friends, all those are really relatable and things I Personally found extremly stressful and difficult. And omg I've been feeling the same about how you are gonna be so nice to exchange students if you meet em in your country, THATS EXACTELY HOW I'VE BEEN FEELIng EVER SINCE ma exchange year HAS ENDED. Girl you are so relatable!!!! Also the Hf part, that was literally what i wanted to say to all tha future exchange students. Switching hf might might be really hard decision but really, its only a year experience you don't wanna spend your time with shitty ppl, you don't wanna wake up stressed thinking about how to deal with hf. You know yourself, when you are excusing or really need to change hf. So If you feel like It would be much better for your exchange year just go for it like REALLY. Lastly As you mentioned in the beginning, there are not many youtube vids about these bothering facts about exchange year and actually what exchange students go through but never talk about. So Thanks for making this the coolest content. I wanted to make a youtube channel like you but haven't made one. I'll look forward to watch your new vids (I'm your BIGGEST FAN now)
oh wow thank you so much for the comment and omg Korea that’s so freaking cool!! 🤩 (i get so confused like people all over the world comment hahah) i’m happy you can relate but hope u had a goood year!! ❣️❣️
Thank you so much.. this literally made my day
Im on an exchange right now and this made me feel so much better knowing that Im not the only one that thinks all of these thing..thank you
aw i’m «glad» to hear!! you are not alone at all, I’ve talked to so many people saying the exact same stuff ❣️
I'm still on an exchange and I had a super close experience to yours, thank you for sharing yours. it really helped me to feel less like i did something wrong💘
i'm "sorry" to hear that, but hope you had a nice experience too and you have grown so much, i promise!!
I am on an exchange year in Portugal rn and I can literally relate to every single thing you said. It really gave me some hope and strenght to also deal with my problems and not to just let them sit there. Really great video.
aw, i’m both sorry and happy to hear that!! you are growing so much right now without probably realizing it, but i wish you the best of luck and hope you’ll have a great time the rest of your stay ❣️
Olá! I'm from Portugal!! Are you enjoying it here? What do you think of us? I would love to be an exchange student damn..
@@flowertheone yess, I am really enjoying it. Things are starting to work out little by little. I finally feel like I’m home here. People are supernice around me and so open!! I love it about Portuguese and I love portuguese pastries so much hehe
@@annagerda5174 Yesyesss, our pastries are amazing. I'm glad it's all working out, stay strong!! And have fun!
Reason why this Korean comedian left everything behind to do standup comedy in Spain🇪🇸
czcams.com/video/UZVVjGosCYA/video.html
I went to Arkansas and it was so hard... I remember of me crying during 2 months . I saw how much people are so mean to foreign people and I notice how much I changed and adapt myself. When I look back I feel proud of myself despite the pain and suffering.
Thank you so much for sharing!! ❣️
i live in arkansas and i understand exactly what you mean. i’m sorry you had this experience!! people here tend to be very close-minded and unwelcoming, mostly because it is a southern state. it’s a lot different other places in the US. i wish things were better for you and you had a better experience :/ 🥺
What part of Arkansas? I'm wanting to host a student next year and I'm in Arkansas.
Reason why this Korean comedian left everything behind to do standup comedy in Spain🇪🇸
czcams.com/video/UZVVjGosCYA/video.html
Many people in Arkansas are into Trump MAGA movement and very conservative in their thinking. They speak very badly of foreigners or “illegals” and are often very religious. Many of younger people from Europe, in this case for me northern Wales, religion is not a very huge thing. It is more of a personal relationship with God and not something you discuss almost daily or decide who you can be friends with. Being a strict Christian seems very important, but that is not a bad thing, it is just a bit different. There are very nice people in Arkansas but just be prepared that what you see on American TV is more of Los Angeles and New York City and not what the south is. In many cases mates from the south of the States hate anything from liberal thinking areas. Some areas towards the hills and mountains are extremely beautiful. Some really great people if you adjust to the environment. Good food too.
Thank you for making this video! Makes me feel a little bit more calm.
thank you!! 🧡
Thank you for this video! I’m exchanging in Spain right now, and it’s been so hard for me so thank you for this!
you are spitting facts i went through these exact emotions during my exchange year. that shit was traumatizing :) but it had its moments lol
aw haha thanks for the comment
I agree with you and I relate so much with the things you've said (changing host family, finding it hard to make deep friendships, feeling lonely, comparing myself etc..)! Exchange year is not easy but as you know we grow a lot from this experience. I did an exchange in Italy (2016/2017) and when I was there I remember being very frustrated because I had many expectations and I wanted it to be "the best year of my life". Now, I've made peace with the struggles I had and I'm able to recognize more the things I've learned from them. I don't regret going there, and I still have this desire to live similar experiences of immersion.
Anyways, you're not alone.
I totally agree with you!! I know a lot of people get bummed (me included) because it wasn’t their «dream year» as they expected, but I still had an incredible time that learned and showed me so much, and I definitely don’t regret it at allll!! 💓 thanks for the comment
im doing an one year exchange program next year (if covid allows it🙄) and i’m really excited! thanks for this video, i hadn’t really found any videos or websites addressing this so it was really helpful!
omg everything that you said is soo true, I was an exchange student from Brazil last year in america and I felt almost exactly the same sometimes, I wish I could have seen a video like this before my experience to see that I wasn't alone at all. But like you said it's so much worth it that I can't be grateful enough
thank you so much for sharing, i’m so glad ❣️
Thank you so much for this Video, i‘m an Exchange Student in Canada and I really feel like this sometimes. It’s hard and sometimes you put lots of pressure on yourself and you compare yourself to other exchange students. It’s not always so easy like people make you believe it is. It’s hard and frustrating for the language sometimes but it’s still all worth it! You will get so mature ! You will get to know new people, culture, habits, it’s fantastic.
Hello there, I want to be an exchange student too :((
but I'm literally baffled as to how? Could you please guide me through it,eh?
as a puertorican who’s lived in the states for 5 years I totally agree with the whole friends thing. when you come in like 1st-4th grade ish all the kids will talk to you and want to be friends with you because you’re from somewhere else and they’re very curious. but I’ll say from 7th-12th most kids won’t pay any attention to you and just stay with their friend group. which can make it a lot harder for foreigners.
thank you so much for sharing!! ❣️
I think your American exchange experience heavily depended on the type of school you chose (seriously minded) to attend. If you attended a typical US High School, your friends would have been different (freer, and more fun-loving), their parents would have been different (due to their children's activities, schedules, commitments, etc.), and even your Host families would have been different. One has a way of affecting the other.
The knowledge of attending a College Prep School vs attending a regular, traditional hometown High School is the difference between night and day. Perhaps this information would be helpful to those considering a High School exchange experience.
Also, in my opinion, I think that emotional maturity is at a different level for each individual. If your parents pamper you at home your whole life, and you expect others on the opposite side of the world to do the same, then you would need more time to bake a little longer, before actually making such a monumental move. This is something the exchange companies need to emphasize as an important part of their program prior to just dropping off minors in foreign countries.
For those considering a High School exchange program, be sure to consider every possible scenario (the what if's) before leaving home, and be well prepared for it. Do not allow your excitement to overcome your logic and reality. Also, remember that you are not going on holiday for a week or two. You would be going for a full school calendar year. The smell of a new car only lasts for so long. Every day is not an animated Disney film. Being realistic, and well prepared in advance, is key.
Thanks for commenting! I didn’t choose to attend the college prep school, I just got placed there because of my host family. I actually tried to switch schools in advance because I knew I wanted a public high school expereince, but it wasn’t possible because it would make it a lot more complicated for my host family and the routines because of when the schools started and ended and sports etc.
Although I do agree with you that it is a big decision and not as suitable for everyone, I believe that if a teen already consider going on exchange means they are adventorus and that way is able to go through it. Part of the experience is to grow, mature and experience life during the year, not to be prepared for everything - in my opinion 😉
I can totally relate to what you´ve gone through... went through the same. questioned my personality and ... basically... EVERYTHING!
thank you for sharing!! ❣️
This is literally so relatable. I've been on exchange in Chile for 8 months and in the beginning I definetly feel like I lost my goofy side and yes it's hard to make lots of friends because when you arrive, everyone already has their friends and their groups.
I relate to you even tho I permanently moved to America from Europe when I was in high school. Definitely related to the “loss of personality” situation. Not enough people talk about this side effect when you get thrown into a completely opposite environment to what you’re used to. I always thought of myself as a funny person who could also make new friends through humour. And literally as soon as I moved, it all went away and I, like you, felt like I had NO personality. I felt super lonely because I felt like I lost all of myself and couldn’t function in that new society. I hope the people that go through this understand that it passes and you can get through this
Thank you so much for sharing and relate!! So cool you moved all over there though, where are you from and what state did you move to? And yeah, the phase definitely passes, for some quicker than others. Thanks for the comment!
Thank you for this. I’m an exchange student in Detroit right now and my experience is close to yours. I’m struggling right now. I’m not having the best time but I’ve only been here for over a month. I hope things will get better.
Making friends has been very hard (FOR ME) and I don’t think the kids at my school are interested and I’m never the one to go up to talk to people. In Switzerland i make friends easy and it was such a surprise that I don’t have any right now.
i need an update on what happened!!
I’m an exchange in the US as well(from japan). I’m an only one from asia, and there are other exchange students from European countries whose English sound perfect for me. So it was unexpected that you’re suffered by similar things. Thank you for uploading this video.
Really thanks for your video. I do feel so lonely now as an exchange student. Your video is just so relieving to me.
I’m sorry, but «glad» to hear 💗 I wish you the besssst of luck 🥺🤍
I felt sooo alone with not Finding Friends I saw all the pictures and Viedeos of people having those Best Exchange Friends, I had them too but I felt the deepness at the end when I felt devastated because of the Corona Virus.
Love that video ❤️
thank you so much for sharing❣️
Thanks so much ! This information is obviously necessary. I really like your speech, so amazing and fast. Hope to do an exchange programme too and get similar emotions as you, even bad!
At our school, which is extremely small, we all have our groups like you said, but we SWARM new kids. I felt so bad sometimes because it seemed like if I was in their position that I would feel overwhelmed. But we are super welcoming. I’m so sorry you had a rough experience!!
I’m so happy to hear that haha 🤩🤩
I just came back from an exchange to France (2 months instead of 5 because of corona *cry*) but my experience was quite different than yours it seems. I’m in university and I picked one of two programs in my French host school that are only offered to international students. There were also international masters students attending the school but they took integrated courses with the local French students. All the international students stayed in the same dorm building, 60+ people from all over the world, but we were all in the exact same situation and it helped us create strong friendships super quickly. This particular school also held parties on the campus bar every Thursday night so we had the opportunity to meet and connect with the French students as well. I can’t say I ever felt alone. Maybe we were just a good group, but the way the program was set up allowed for deeper connections. We felt like a family. I had all my courses with the same international students in my program and there were a lot of events put on by the school to help us get to know each other as well. We would all make our traditional cultural dishes for each other in the common kitchen, take the bus to the city centre to go grocery shopping together and so much more. Who knows, maybe if I was there longer I would have stopped enjoying it as much or felt more alone, but if you can find an exchange program in university where you can live on campus I would 100% recommend it
wow thank you for sharing!! yeah, I definitely think high school and University is two pretty different experiences (as I’m looking into studying abroad for college 🤪), and I did get really close to all the international students I knew which I am so grateful for, but I also really wanted to experience more of the «american teen culture» too. thank you for commenting!! 🤩
Does anyone help me convince my parents Im still a Minor so I want to go to Japan when Im 16 or 17 so I still have 3 more years to prepare but my parents dont consider me being an exchange student my dad says that that there a possibility of me going but my mom gets angry everytime I me tion the topic Im starting to learn japanese and Im saving money so I can help pay an exchange.
i’m sorry to hear! that is so individual from each family so I can’t really give any personal advice, but as you said saying up yourself is a big help, maybe if you have all information about safety etc ready and explained, find all the positive parts about doing an exchange, talk with them when they’re in a good mood or something. I really hope you’ll be able to go! 🧡
Thank you I'll do that
i mentioned wanting to go on exchange for the first time by showing my parents a powerpoint i made. they had questions but they were talking about it and asking some people who they knew who knew abt the topic. try asking to just sit them down for 10mins and just laying everything out. 🙂
@@daniellamunoz5757 how about you give up
@@goofy9830 how can you say that?!
I have been studying in Canada for 2 months and I can totally relate to what you said 😘
thank you for sharing ❣️
I'm hopefully going to japan on exchange next year in January (if Japan opens its borders) and I really hope I get along with my host family. Thank you for sharing your experiences in exchange! Made me consider things I didn't think of so much.
Thank you for sharing❣️ I’m sure you’ll have a great time, even though I had a lot of down I don’t regret it at all and really had the time of ly life!!
I hope u ended up going! I may be going this year if im accepted and im really excited :)
@@Harieth. I did not end up going 😅 dreams crushed, but I applied for the JET program so I still have hope!
@@ronzacharias5497 awwe im so sorry that you didnt end up going. But i hope the JET program goes well :))
@@Harieth. I got accepted :) I'm going to Japan on August 5. I cried when I read the news 😂
That's a huge side of the year abroad that no one says.
Thank you
Im from America and I have been looking into exchange programs/studying abroad and came across your video. Im really sorry to hear that your experience wasn't the best. After doing research on the social life of other countries, I realized how...unwelcoming we can be.
Didn’t see this comment until now! 🥵 but thank you so much for sharing!! I do not consider americans unwelcoming at all, you guys have the most social and warm culture i have ever experienced! But maybe for teens, and espescially when they had known each other for such a long time and also had a lot of school work, and maybe because i had sich high expectations they weren’t able to meet them always. But anyways, thank you so much for sharing, do you know where you’d like to go? 🤩🤩
I’m going on exchange to the US from the UK in August, thanks for the video I feel like I’m prepared for what emotions I’m gonna feel especially at the start and that being normal, especially since I am very close to my family.
Totally get that, thanks for sharing!!
I'm going to england in 11th grade and someone scared me and said british people exclude others and said they are not sincere. Am I really not going to have a group of friends? I was so happy until someone says that
I really want to do an exchange for a semester or two (University); Thank you for sharing these behind the scenes ❤️
Thank you sm for this, I literally thought I’m the only person who feels this way
You’re absolutely not, look at this comment section!! 🧡
Now I want to go to Norway so I can be in ur class haha ❤️ PS: love ur video!
AHH YOU SHOULD PLEASE where are you from? 🤩🤩 and thank you ❣️
@@ChristinaWedvik Aw I would love to 💗! I'm currently living in Strasbourg in France but I'm moving to a small town next to Lausanne, in Switzerland in a of couple of days. Super nervous for that 🙄...
@@jasminewei9071 good luck!! 💛
@@jasminewei9071 OMG I LIVE IN LAUSANNE, i hope you're having fun
AlohaMia omg i‘m doing an exchange in le-mont-sur-lausanne
Omg you deserve more subscribers 💜💜💜
aww thank you!!💓
😔 *I wish I could be a foreign exchange student! Lol! Sadly I'm not a student anymore bc I'm an old head lmbo! It's only been 20+ years since I've been in school lol! I think it's very important to keep an open mind when experiencing another country in general and you have to expect some things to be tough for sure!! I think it's great to let other students understand the struggles so it's great to have ppl like you to help!!*
I’m irish, i’d love to try an exchange, and I think it’d be great to try. Since english is my first language, I think it’d be great to meet new friends and experience it
yes i would recommend you to!! even though it was hard times, i had sooo much fun and don’t regret it at ALL 💘
I love how you told us the bad and good stuff about exchange. I wanted to know these cause I want to know the cons man
I did a semester abroad at the University in Bergen, Norway, back in 2018. I can relate to your experiences! It was nearly impossible to make true Norwegian friendships, I got homesick so bad etc. I even hadn't someone saying goodbye when I left. As I was older already I just tried to do the best out of the situation and did many things alone and focus on studies. My boyfriend came to visit me for one month. Even though I had hard times, I would always do it again. I think the 'Best time of my life' doesn't work for everyone and that is absolutely okay as well!
Thank you for sharing! And you’re absolutely right 🙌🩵
Im so happy I found this video, Im thinking of going to Norway through an Exchange program and I didn't know the negative since all I heard of was the positive. Its just good to know. As an American it is hard to have long lasting real relationships with people cause most the people I live near are fake and toxic.
wow that’s so fun!! yeah, it is a lot of ups, but also some downs, but i can tell you that i think it is sooo worth it and i truly don’t believe anyone would regret going on an exchange year❣️
YOU JUST DESCRIBED WHAT I AM LIVING RIGHT NOW and it makes me so sad 😭😭 like if I don’t ask my friends to hang out they won’t pay attention to me and they at like always « busy »
I’m sorry 🥺thank you for sharing, i promise you are not alone 🧡
Kudos to you for trying this. I moved to Germany by myself to do a Master's. I had major homesickness too. But I imagine that staying with a host family is way more difficult, since you have to try to fit into another family's values and cultures and stuff.
I'd like to visit Norway someday, and do some hiking and fishing.
Hello there, I want to be an exchange student too :((
but I'm literally baffled as to how? Could you please guide me through it,eh?
College exchange programme specifically
I am an English Host mother, what could have helped from the hosting family. I would be devastated if one of my students felt so bad. I have loved the different spice of life each student brings and to have to make a personality for being ''USA'' sounds like acting and not being you from the beginning... Thank you for making these videos as it helps us tp
Thanks for the comment! I don’t think I have an answer to what they could have/could have not done, simply just because we weren’t a great match overall, that’s kind of why i tried to be something else than i was because i felt the person i am didn’t really fit into their family, at least i felt that in the beginning, so then i kind of tried to be someone who would - but neither i or them had a lot of fun with that, so that was stupid of me.. maybe just like make sure to let them know they’re welcomed, wanted, able to be themselves one time too many rather than one time too little maybe? But I really feel like my situation was just kind of a mismatch i didn’t really know how to deal with 😅
I might be exchanging in Japan for 4 months and I’m pretty scared. I’m really excited but I’m also terrified. But the thing I’m grateful for is that 2 other people may be going if I’m accepted. I just hope everything goes well :)
@Vanessa thank you! I got accepted and jus hopin for the bwsr
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thanks for keeping it real Christina. I'm sure some future exchange student will appreciate your honesty and candor. I like how you still encourage people to follow their dreams but to have realistic expectations and to prepare themselves for some ups and downs. It is impossible not to grow from an experience like this. Relying on yourself, handling your business, speaking up for yourself when things aren't right are all part of growing into an competent adult. I'm a manager of a big company and I have dealt with many many people who cannot manage their own lives and careers without asking everyone around them for advice and instructions because they lack confidence in themselves. You gain confidence by doing things for yourself and believing that you will be able to handle whatever situation you are faced with. Of course ask for help when you really need it, but only after you have tried to do things for yourself. --- I will always think that you are incredibly brave for leaving your entire family, friends, country, culture, language, food, and everything that is familiar and safe to you to become an exchange student. When I was your age, I probably could not have done that. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
thank you so much!! that is really encouriging to hear 💓
Thank you for this!❤
You seem like such a fun person to be around aha. If you ever come to Los Angeles in the future I would totally love to be friends and hear abt your culture.
aww haha thank you so much!! I will definitely come to LA at some point!! 🤪🤪
I was an exchange student in US in 1991/92. It is a lottery, regarding the host family. My experience with my first host parents was terrible and had to leave. Second family was much better but that first experience was so overwhelming. Till the present day I wonder what went wrong with those people from the first family.
Thank you for this advice its really gonna help 😊 My mom said I could do an exchange but she's still discussing it with my dad hope he agrees 😌
i’m crossing my fingers for you!! 🤞🤞
I came across this video because i really want to go on an exchange somewhere, but then I realized you’re from Norway!??? DUDE I have relatives there and I think I’m visiting next summer!!! I’ll come see youuuu😂
ÆØÅ that’s so cool!! Yes do that haha!! 🥳🤪
*I was just watching 'Worlds Strictest Parents', and I thought about foreign exchange students and if this was still a thing lol! I haven't been in school for over 20 years so, I was just curious. My son is in 7th grade and I haven't heard of them ever having foreign exchange students! I think this is an awesome option to experience other countries, cultures, and the different ways they may live!!*
WHATTTT your accent is so good
aww thank you!!
Hi,i am from Kazakhstan.And i am going to apply to university in the usa.Occasionally I think about it.And now i am home and i try to overcome fear💞thanks
Hi, thank you so much for the video. I am currently on an exchange year in New Zealand and I don't really have friends yet (except for exchange students). Tbh I feel kinda lost and I didn't really have had the opportunity to bond with anyone bc of the coronavirus (lockdown etc). We gonna be back at school on Monday and honestly, I am so scared. So thanks at least I don't feel alone anymore.
Greta 04 i’m sad to hear about that! Yeah, I can’t imagine how that’s gonna be, but i have no idea how the situation is in NZ either so 🤷♀️ best of luck to you!! ❣️
What exchange program did you take?
I had never been an exchange student but had completed my post graduation in Canada..so I can understand the hard times to an extent a lot considering the fact that I am not even an English Native Speaker. It's just thanks to the colonization in my country, I had fluidity in English. But thankfully I was in Canada that knows how to be most accommodating towards its international students.
I had to leave South Korea earlier too because of Corona. I was there 7 months, and it was as hard making friends as you described it! Exchange students here in Austria told me about similar experiences. I guess people around the world aren't that different, after all. They probably think that you'll be returning soon, anyways, so why emotionally investing in you? Super sad, I know, but 90% of students around the world think like that.
thank you so much for the comment! «sadly» true :( hope u had an awesome time though ❣️
A+ for your English skills....keep on traveling!
i’ve been on exchange for barely over a week now. i’ve barely spoken and everyone here is speaking for me all the time. i don’t have the words to tell them that they’re wrong about me or something, and i can’t stop comparing myself to my exchange (in our program instead of switching places, one of you goes first to the other country and then you go back together so you’re together the whole time) because she was so much better in english when she first came to my family than i am in german now. anyways you guys are not alone ❤ fighting💪
Thank you for sharing, I saw this really late but hope it ended up better! 🩵
@@ChristinaWedvik oh my goodness i didn't expect a response. as of right now i'm back home after 6 months. it wasn't easy but i made it through! (and learnt a lot more german)
Thank you so much!
this helped so much! I am considering going on an exchange. I also thought these thoughts. And i am still uncomfortable, thinking what will happen.... I am sooooo scared that it’s not the money worth. Like it’s so expensive and we only have that cash if I am sooooo sure! Do you have some tips for me? I am so insecure but I am so inspired from you that you tell everyone how you feel! I am soooo grateful for this video! I love youuuuz❤️❤️
I would personally say even though I went through a lot of hard times, it was SO worth it. Looking back now I don’t even understand how extremely priveleged and lucky I was to expereince that, even the hard times when I thought what tf am I doing here haha
thank you I needed this video !
I am on my exchange year in Norway right now, so good to know I am not the only one struggling. Takk :)
there are dozens of other comments here saying the same, you are DEFINITELY not alone!! I'm sorry to hear that though, where in Norway are you? 🤩
i'm in sweden and feeling the same
@@ChristinaWedvik I am in the Vesterålen, that islandgroup over the Lofoten :)
@@katleach2382 thanks 😊, if you need to talk to someone you can write to me ❤
@@amreibresgott8021 oh wow, must be beautiful!! never been but it’s on my bucketlist
It’s so hard for people who don’t know even language and have to work to survive. If you can study and somebody pay for you, it’s not hard.
True, i will travel in a week to California and i will study 11th grade and i am so scared because i will be working and studying in the same time😭 and i’m not used to speak in English at all !!!!
I'm 15 and I want to exchange to Japan for about 8 months, I'm really excited but at the same time I'm scared of being homesick and leaving my friends behind, my fear is when I come back my best friend will be mad cause when I told her I want to exchange she seemed annoyed and said it's my choice.
My dad said I should be able to go around next year, but he also said he doesn't think I could do it cause I tend to get homesick easily.
That sounds really cool!! If your friend gets mad about you leaving and doing something BIG and FUN in your life, what kind of friend is that?? It’s definitely your choice and I hope you’ll go 🧡 You might get homesick, but the human body is really freaking strong, and I promise you will get through it no matter what, in the end it’s gonna be a memory and a great lesson.
When you’re a exchange student where do you stay?? Like do you have a family member or..? And how do you become a exchange student? :>
kaja?
@@isabellalee1548 You usually have a host family to stay with! And the Exchange program you're with will match you with a Host Family that best fits you, and you become an exchange student by enrolling in a local exchange program that maybe your school or community has already or if you don't have that like me, you look up exchange programs on the internet like EF or AFS!
@@pixi5483 Thank you!!
:))
Thank you so much for this! I’m an American thinking about going to do a semester abroad so this really helped me prep. PS Just so you know I think 99.99% of American students don’t have the “American high school experience” tv and movies overly romanticizes this experiences and it isn’t really realistic. I as an American has felt bad because I feel like I don’t have the regular experience but then I realized that’s due to my high expectations of high school. I hope you had fun with the experience that you did have.
Thank you so much for sharing!! ❣️ And that’s so fun, where are you planning on going? 🤩
@@ChristinaWedvik Im planning on going fall 2021! I didn’t think I would go due to COVID but my program was able to work through it. By the way I just found your channel and I love it so much!
Aww thank you so much, that makes me so happy!!
I'm not even an exchange student but this video was so relatable lol
Edit: Continued watchning the video, and it got even more relatable bruh. Honestly this video was so useful for me to develop as a person. You mentioned that you actually had alot of great people that were friendly and asked you to hang out and such, but you still felt EXTREMLY lonely. That's the thing, literally anybody can feel lonely, if if they aren't "really" lonely.
Anyways I hope youre doing better now, we're all proud of you girl
Aw this comment made me literally so happy and i definitely agree! thank you so much for sharing ❣️❣️
Our foreign exchange student from Mallorca Spain , like living with us so much. She begged her parents to let her come live with us and go to college. She messages us all the time.
me and my best friend are thinking of going on exchange program together and we can’t wait❤️
yay how fun!! 💓💓
I was super excited to go to my exchange year but the covid started and I lost my hopes I was like I’m not going anymore but last week the school sent me an email and they said that there will be a possibility to go but I’m not going to the us I’m going to Canada and where I’m going there are not a lot of cases so I’m super excited bc I might be leaving in September
Oh I’m crossing my fingers for you!! 🤞🤞🤞
Amazing video. Thank you so much for this❤️
Thank you!! ❣️
Christina Wedvik This video really helped. Ily❤️
As an American whole left my small town to a bigger town with new people it has been very hard to make friends because people dont openly come up to you. I intend to go on an exchange year a year from now! also my schools program for exchange students is wonderful. They get put as a class priority and can take the highest or lowest levels. im sorry you had a bit of a rough experience.
Thank you for sharing!! 🩵 And good luck!
I went the other way. Was a US student in school in Spain. You can speak the language but book speak and real speak are two completely different things. And in regards to host families, it’s basically 50/50 from awesome to blind date from hell.
That personality changing is unbelievably relatable , I thought I was the only one that is going through it. How long did it take you to learn English? (It's so gooooood)
i’m «glad/sorry» to hear that haha! i have had english in school since first grade, and went away from dubbed stuff form disney channel etc to english shows and CZcams really early (i have no childhood basically lol) and i have always loved english and wanted to learn it ☺️❣️
Just be yourself no matter where you go. And in America, you could have a completely different experience from one school to the next. The kids in the schools can be one way in a school in one city or state and completely different in another. They may be why others have different experience
Absolutely!! Although «being myself» was something that I - and apparently a lot of other exchange students unfortunately struggled with in another language and culture 🥴🤝
I'm going to America as an exchange student in August 2021. I'm super excited and scared....omg
5:36 I mean, it's certainly not much fun to feel that you're a bit on the outside and don't have many friends, but if that's the worst thing that happens to you in high school you're having a much better time than many other high-schoolers.
yeah so now i kinda feel like sharing my experience. I was in france for 6 months last year and part if it really felt like going through hell all alone. My relationship with my host family, especially my host mum was very problematic. I am not going to elaborate on it too much because it does feel like it is supposed to be kept private idk. But the in the months i spent there i really started to feel like there was something very wring with me. Like i was incapable of integrating myself and I was a very misfitted person to do this. I felt as if i had pushed my way into this place that i didn't beling or deserve because i was "too shy and reserved". Even though I did my best to be as open as possible. A lot of words to say that i really started to hate the way i was, feeling like the worst type of misfit. Then my hostfamily kicked me out, without having consulted the coordinater. In the end it was up to me to call her and tell her that i cannot stay at that place. The next week, most of wich i spent hidden away in my room, avoiding any contact with my family was probably the worst time of my life. In the end they found another hostfamily that i could go to where i spent last months of my exchange. That was a great place and i really loved it but i was still kinda glad once i gut home because i felt so much pressure to be "sociable" and fit in. Something I felt was impossible for me after the first place. But i think i kinda managed so there is a happyish ending:)
Hey, thank you so much for sharing your experience! That must have been very hard and i’m sorry, i totally understand and i relate to you to a certain extent, and it’s really hard to go through that alone. I’m so proud of you for pussing through though, and hey, if you can do that - you can do ANYTHING. 💚
Can u pls talk about relationships? Do u've got one? sry i don't want to be rude:)) I'm glad u talk so honest about all these things, thank uuu💕
Leonie XoXo i did not get anywhere near one haha so I don’t have much to say about that! but if i do a q&a later i can talk about my thoughts on it! ;)
@@ChristinaWedvik yes please :)
Leonie XoXo omg that would be so interesting to know about.