Former Exchange Students?

I didn't want to derail another thread but noticed that a few other people were former exchange students.  Where'd you go?  When?  Did it make you more of a wanderer?  Did it make your life here easier?

I was a Rotary exchange student to Japan in 1982.  After that moving to the UK was a piece of cake.

I was a Rotary exchange student to Japan in 1982. 

No way! I was a Rotary exchange student to France in 98/99. Best year ever.

I think going to another country did make me hungry to see more but I never imagined I'd go and live in another country.  I don't know if it made life here easier but it helped me understand my homesickness better.

I think exchange years should be mandatory. I had such an amazing time on mine.

I wish I had been braver when I was younger.  I had the chance to be an exchange student through my art college, but chickened out of even trying for it.  It took a long time for me to work up any real level of travel lust.

I came over here as an exchange student my last year of Uni (2005). I met DH about 3 weeks after I arrived and since it was my last year anyways and i graduated at the end, I decided to stay. I did a lot of travelling around Europe that year and am soooo glad I did. I went to Italy (Venice, Verona and Rome), Spain (Granada & Barcelona), France (Paris) and around Scotland, Ireland and Turkey. I would never have the chance to go that many places now and I'm so happy I  came here not only because I met DH but because of where it has taken me in life. It did make settling here easier because i made some friends of my own (which i still see) and did some travelling with my best friend Samantha so then when i decided to stay, there was absolutely no culture shock or anything... because i was used to it.  

In some ways I think that I didn't really appreciate being an exchange student when I was one.  I was relatively young (and immature).  It made travel a lot less daunting, but it's such a different thing to immigrate than to visit, even a long term visit.

I was an exchange student to the US (from the UK) in 2003/04 - it was the best year of my life !

I had looked into studying in the US for my undergrad degree but in the end decided to try for a study abroad year there instead, so when I was applying to UK universities, I specifically looked for degree courses that offered a year in America as part of the degree. My year there (in New Mexico) was amazing and I met some wonderful friends, who I'm still in contact with now.

In terms of changing my life, it did make me want to travel more - since then I've visited Canada and the US again, moved back to New Mexico as a grad student (although I only lasted 8 months the second time,.. it made me realise that I didn't want to live in the US on a more long-term basis though), visited Belgium and France again, spent a week in Serbia... and in February, I'm off to South America (Peru, Chile and Bolivia) for 6 weeks with a 2-week stop in the US !

I was an exchange student in Salamanca, Spain.

I think exchange years should be mandatory. I had such an amazing time on mine.

Absolutely agree! I used to be a recruiter for Youth for Understanding - an international exchange organization - and my job was to go around to high schools all over the US and give presentations to the kids about why they should do an exchange. I changed a lot of kids' minds, and got a lot of them to even begin to consider it!  One of the most rewarding jobs I've ever had.

I used to be a recruiter for Youth for Understanding

I had friends who were very involved with YFU in high school.  Additionally, I was co-president of our school's AFS club.  Sadly, my mother refused to allow, or fund, me on any sort of exchange program in high school or college.  I wanted to do it SO badly, but I never got the chance.  Not that I'm bitter, or anything...

Sadly, my mother refused to allow, or fund, me on any sort of exchange program in high school or college.  I wanted to do it SO badly, but I never got the chance.  Not that I'm bitter, or anything...

Aw, no! Sorry to hear that.   

YFU offers scholarships for kids that can't get/don't have the money, which I think is SUCH a great thing! But most kids don't even know about it.

When I was in university I studied abroad in Aberdeen for a semester and I absolutely loved it.  Being a student here was such a stress-free introduction to living in the UK, and now that I'm back a few years later for completely different reasons it helps that I already have some close friends who I've stayed in touch with.  I'm nowhere near Aberdeen, and by this point none of them are either, but whenever two of us pass through London at the same time we meet up.   

Aw, no! Sorry to hear that.    

Thanks.  It's still a sore subject between us, even all these years later.

YFU offers scholarships for kids that can't get/don't have the money, which I think is SUCH a great thing! But most kids don't even know about it.

It is a great thing, and several people I knew would never have been able to go if it wasn't for the aid they got through the programs they were with.

I think exchange years should be mandatory. I had such an amazing time on mine.

I agree.  I wish when I was young that I had been able to do it.  Funds were beyond limited for me growing up.  I would have loved it though!

I did my student teaching in England (last semester at University) through an exchange program, and lived with a family from the school where I taught.  I loved it.   

I agree.  I wish when I was young that I had been able to do it.  Funds were beyond limited for me growing up.  I would have loved it though!

This is why the Rotary Youth Program was so great. You pay for the plane ticket but they give you a monthly allowance. I lived with three different families and I was treated as if I was one of their kids, so I didn't have to pay for regular everyday things. The money was just mine to blow.

But I was really lucky to be given the chance to go, given that none of my family are members of the Rotary. I heard about it from a girl in my HS that went and she referred me to the local club. Usually they only send their member's kids, at least that's all they were allowing from the French club I was hosted at.

I was a AFS exchange student to France 1986-1987.

We then hosted another AFS student, from Yokahama-shi, Japan, from 1987-1988.

Rieko is still very much a part of our family's life, she came to Edinburgh with a friend and stayed with us whilst we lived there and my folks have been to Japan to see her 4 times and planning a 5th next Spring!

Edited to add:  I went back and stayed with my host family in the summers of 1988 and 1989 and then did junior year 1991-1992 at university in Lyon.