LT | Outbound | Italy | Clear Lake High School
Having just passed the half-way point of my exchange here in Italy, I’m starting to get sad at the thought of it ending this summer! My time here so far in Italy has been absolutely life-changing in such a positive way. I’ve experienced life from a new culture, made new friends, and seen and done so many incredible things that it’s hard to put into words what exchange means for me. From my experience, going on exchange for a year will 100% make you grow as a person for the better. It may not always be easy to be away from your family, friends, and home, but in the end, the challenges you will face on exchange will only strengthen you. Personally, I feel strongly that exchange has helped me step out of my comfort zone and become more independent and mature. Also, I couldn’t write about exchange without mentioning learning the language of your host-country! Speaking for myself, this is hands-down one of the coolest parts of exchange. Thinking back to my first month here, I barely knew a lick of Italian and constantly found myself failing miserably to speak with locals. But just 5 months later, I’m able to hold conversations with Italians about almost anything without (too much) trouble. To summarize, my advice for anyone considering exchange is to just do it. I cannot imagine anything else that will offer you so many opportunities in just one year!
