Every year students from different countries come to my school: Spaniards, French, Russians, Americans and Swiss. Most of them are between 14-17 years old. Also our students are allowed to travel to the countries of their exchange partners. They go on wonderful trips to Kansas City, Minnesota, the South of Spain, Lake Tahoe, Paris, Barcelona, Rennes, St. Petersburg and Rome (even though this is not a real exchange). But why do we need an exchange?

Exchanges are a valuable experience in life. First of all, you get to know various people from different countries, which have another tradition or culture. Secondly, you get to travel to another country the language of which you have chosen to learn. This might be a perfect place for you to stay and maybe you will find a new holiday destination or a city in which you’re going to live and earn a living later on. Thirdly, it’s also good for you and the exchange student because both of you practice the language you are studying. For instance when you go to Spain you will improve your Spanish and then in Austria your guest will learn more English in our English-speaking school.

However, if you get homesick easily you might as well just take a guest but not a flight or train to your partner’s country.

That is the theory of exchanges; at least I thought so before I experienced my first exchange…