Go Travel Magazine

My mother always used to say, “What doesn’t kill you, can only make you stronger,” but as a rebellious teenager, I never used to believe nor listen to her advice… until I was fortunate enough to participate in a two-month reciprocal student exchange program to France.

For me, a two-month reciprocal exchange was particularly appealing because it would provide minimal disruption to my studies back home. The opportunity to also experience a white Christmas was simply too hard to resist! But I never thought that spending two months on the other side of the world and living with a group of strangers would completely change my perception of the world, and indeed, change my life.

Every day was a constant challenge, from trying to understand my teachers at school to trying to buy a stamp at the local post office. However, my very limited vocabulary was the least of my problems…

I was placed into a family, with a situation completely different to my own here in Australia. As an only child, I’d always dreamt of having siblings, and my wish was granted when I went to France. My host family comprised of seven people; my host parents and five siblings, all of which were under the age of twenty and all of which had an extreme passion for winter sports – they lived in the French Alps.

Having grown up on a rural property in southern Australia, my knowledge of winter sports was very minimal, but as part of a cultural experience, I agreed to try skiing.

On reflection, I seriously believed that learning to ski was going to kill me, and as a result, I would frequently read the fineprint of my travel insurance policy. It seemed that every time we went skiing, someone would always get hurt. On one skiing outing my friend broke her wrist, on another my host brother dislocated his thumb… and they were experienced skiers. Nevertheless, with some encouragement from my host family I rose to the challenge. After all, I couldn’t let one snow-covered mountain get the better of me. I will never forget the moment when I finally mastered the beginner’s slope, much to the relief of my host family.

A year on from my exchange experience, my fond memories of skiing, school life, and trying to buy a stamp at the local post office are still fresh in my mind – small accomplishments that seem so insignificant to others, yet mean the world to me. Exchange has taught me so much, and I’ve made so many lifelong friends in the process.

Being an exchange student certainly isn’t a piece of cake; the prospect of leaving your friends, family and everything that is familiar to you is a massive challenge for any young person, but the immense linguistic benefits, sense of independence and accomplishment that you will feel and the many new lifelong friendships that you will make, will help you become a much stronger person.