I spent my spring semester at Schule Schloss Salem, a boarding school near Lake Constance in Germany. Salem and Athenian have organized countless student exchanges for many years. In 1932, Athenian’s very own founder, Dyke Brown, also studied at Schule Schloss Salem. At the time, the head of school was Kurt Hahn, founder of Salem, Round Square and Outward Bound. Here, Dyke Brown learned from Kurt Hahn the principles of community service, globalism, and spending time outdoors. Athenian’s IDEALS are a direct result of what he learned at the same 14th century monastery where I have been for the past few weeks. Another neat connection is that my great-great grandfather on my dad’s side, who is German, was a teacher at Salem a few years later.

Schule means school, Schloss means castle, and Salem is the name of the town where the school is located.

Even though I’ve been to Germany before, living in a boarding school was still a very new experience for me. At Athenian, there is some freedom in choosing what classes you are interested in taking. Here, there is a much more limited choice. My classes here were Math, Natural Science, Chemistry, German, History, Physics, Health Education, Sports, English, Sociology, Art, Ethics, and Geography. Unlike at Athenian, most classes take place only once a week. Another difference is that you are with the same people in all classes except for ethics.

I have noticed many cultural differences, particularly between Athenian and Schule Schloss Salem. It is a very formal atmosphere here. At the beginning of every class, we stand up to greet our teacher. We wear uniforms (school polo, sweater, and jeans) and every room has a chore to do each week, ranging from taking out the trash to washing the dishes. Every evening, we turn in all of our electronic devices, and don’t get them back until after classes end, which is usually at 4pm or later the next day. This helps students connect with each other instead of being on their phones.

We have school all day Mondays to Fridays and half day on Saturdays. Each class period is 90 minutes long and we rarely get breaks. This is one of the aspects of Salem that took me a while to get accustomed to. Athenian emphasizes spending time outdoors through programs like AWE. Salem also believes that exercising is a key aspect of one’s education. What does that look like here? We wake up every morning for a mandatory 6:45 am run around campus. Who needs coffee?

After our morning run, we have five meals every day: first breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. First breakfast and lunch are mandatory for all. During lunch, a school speaker will ring a bell, and no one speaks for a few minutes. All you can hear is the clinking of utensils against plates. It is a moment of silence in appreciation of having a warm meal.

One of Salem’s unique programs are their service groups, which ranges from fundraising in the Round Square service group to learning basic skills in First Aid to practicing firefighting skills in the Fire Brigade. I joined the First Aid group and practiced teamwork, communication, and first aid skills. Another major valuable part of my exchange has been the opportunity to continue improving my German. All of my classes are taught in German and I’ve managed to keep up.

During my time here, some special Salem traditions took place. During Salemer Weekend, we had a football (or as we call it, soccer) tournament between all of the wings. The rest of the time was spent with everyone’s own wing. In mine, each room cooked either an appetizer, main course, or dessert. It was really nice to cook, eat, and just spend time together. May Day (May 1st) is a public holiday in all of Germany. We had no classes, and each wing presented their Coat of Arms, which were then attached to a maypole in the main courtyard. Last week was Kevin Week. It was an opportunity for students to gain more independence. Our mentors and teachers were present, but students taught classes, and wing assistants took on responsibilities that the mentor usually does.

Over the past few weeks, I have grown closest to the students in my wing. There are students from Thailand, China, and Germany, as Salem is a very international school like Athenian. I have met people from both the German and English systems, whether it was during a weekend rock climbing trip or during swim practice. In addition to weekend activities and sports practices, my friends and I hang out in our wing or in the club house, which is open on the weekends for students to have a little dance party. On Saturdays, I go to the nearby city of Überlingen with my Salem exchange student, Florentine, and her friends. On Sundays, nearly all stores, other than some restaurants, are closed.

When you need to do a quick grocery run, you can walk 30-40 minutes to Salem. Edeka is the primary supermarket most students go to when they need to buy something to cook. One difference is that in Germany you have to rent a shopping cart. Nearby is the Schlosssee, another small lake that gets really crowded in the summer.

I would highly recommend going on exchange. Not only will you improve your language skills, or maybe learn a little of a new one, but you will make many international friends. My advice to students going on exchange would be to put yourself out there and get to know as many people as you can!

Hi. I am Frankie and I traveled to San Silvestre School in Lima, Peru in June and July of this year. Before arriving at the school, I remember being excited and nervous. It was an all-girls school with a uniform and strict rules such as no phones. It seemed so daunting to me as it was very different from Athenian. I arrived with low expectations as I didn’t know how I would branch out with new friends and find my place. Me and my exchange partner were quite different people and I didn’t think I would find many commonalities with her friends. 

The first day I walked in looking at the building with three enormous towers of stairs, giant hallways, rows of lockers and five floors. There were tons of girls walking quickly, talking in a language I could barely comprehend, dressed in a Christmas-colored uniform with their hair tied back in a ponytail. I was overwhelmed and nervous. I got to art and needed to get my headphones from my locker. I ran down five sets of stairs, turned the corner and saw lockers labeled 60-80. Mine was number 10. I turned the corner and walked halfway but couldn’t find it. I quickly ran back up the stairs, my face heating up and thinking “this is going to be awful.” I already lost the location of my locker. Sitting back in my chair, I gave a forced and nervous smile to the teacher and said, “I don’t think I brought headphones today. Sorry”.

I look back on that first day and tell everyone that wants to go on exchange to be open-minded. Just the next day I talked with people and made friends. Everyone was kind and curious about the US and California. I soon became close with the family I was staying with and they were very kind. The first week I went on a camping trip for three days, going white-water rafting and ziplining. I made another close friend and befriended a couple other exchange students. The following week I settled in with a friend group of about ten girls who all were so nice and fun to hangout with. The next weekend I hung out with friends Friday and Saturday, completely forgetting about how nervous I was on the first day, just enjoying the moment, going to malls and people’s apartments. 

I settled in nicely but after three weeks I needed to switch grades as my grade had exams. I wasn’t excited for the switch as I knew not a single girl in my new grade. I was able to find another friend group by talking to people in class and making conversation. The new group was so sweet. They brought Peruvian food for me to try and invited me to go out with them on the weekend.

I think everybody should consider going on exchange. The cultural shock is huge but it is so worth it. I learned so much more Spanish, learned about new traditions in Peru, made so many friends who I am already planning to see next year, and visited many different small towns outside Lima. I think exchange might not be for everyone, but I think everyone should think about it, as it was one of the best experiences of my life. 

My best piece of advice for going on exchange is to be open minded. When someone asks you for your name, ask for theirs. Make small talk, ask to sit with someone for lunch, join a club or a sport, try new food, step out of your comfort zone. If the country doesn’t speak your language, try and learn some of it and talk to new people. I saw students on exchange who clung onto their host student and didn’t talk to other people, as they were worried about their new environment, and they didn’t have the best experience. Step out of your comfort zone. Trust me, it is worth it. Also a small tip: buy a flag from that country to get everyone to sign on you. My host family bought me one and it’s a great thing to remember my trip. I recommend everyone consider going on exchange. I loved it so much and am very excited to go back to Peru!

On my exchange in Germany, I got to experience daily life in Germany for six weeks and to experience the vastly different culture of European boarding schools. Everyone was very welcoming on the first day of school. I met many international students from South Africa, Singapore, and other countries. All my classes were in English. 

My host family took me on many trips, such as to Berlin, to see soccer matches in Hamburg, and to the German countryside. I also joined a school trip to Norway, where I stayed for a week.

Life in the boarding school I attended had a very similar culture to the US. Life in my boarding school centered around the school much more than Athenian. Since most of the school boarded, it was rare to leave campus. For the first half of my trip, I was in the IB class for international students. Later in my exchange, I became more familiar with other parts of the school. They generally knew less English, forcing me to improve my German.

My most significant challenge was the language barrier and learning German. This made it challenging to communicate, as people often preferred to talk to their friends in German. This made it sometimes difficult to make friends or grow connections with people. Still, in the end, I always managed to overcome the language barrier by playing soccer or other fun activities.

The trip to Norway at the end of my journey was with a different grade, so I had to meet an entirely different section of the school. It was more difficult, however, as the students were younger. Many weren’t fluent in English, or preferred not to speak it. 

After completing my exchange, I recommend everyone goes if given the opportunity. It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to live abroad at such a young age, meet new people, and build connections away from California. The exchange was one of my life’s most memorable moments, and I am very thankful I got to visit Germany.

My exchange trip was easily my favorite and the most influential trip of my life. One of the highlights of my trip was going on a safari drive. We saw the “Big Five” and much more like giraffes, cheetahs, bucks, and impalas. Some more highlights included walking on top of Table Mountain, exploring Johannesburg and Cape Town, making friends, playing soccer every break, and, best of all, going hunting! 

Something unexpected that I noticed between California and Johannesburg was the number of buildings. I think it goes over Californian’s heads how industrialized we are. There are houses and buildings everywhere, and even on big hills and mountains, there are houses. In Joburg, at least, considering it is a big city, when you look over the horizon, all you see are trees, nature, and flourishing land. It was a very calming and beautiful sight.

While in South Africa, I connected with as many people as possible, but I ended up making a small group of truly amazing friends. I even shared many laughs with the school café baristas. 

The biggest challenge for me was making friends. The first week I was too nervous to talk to people because they were all in their own friend groups, and I was scared to intrude. But once I started playing soccer with them and pushing myself to become involved rather than waiting for someone to come up to me, they were more than happy to have me join in and be a part of their lives. On the soccer pitch was where I met my best friends. From then on I played soccer every single day, laughed, had fun, and got to connect with people on and off the field. 

I can easily say this exchange trip has been the most memorable adventure of my life. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone as long as you don’t get homesick easily. The time difference is difficult to get used to, but easy to manage once you figure it out. Going on exchange is life-changing and eye-opening. I will definitely stay in touch with all my friends and my exchange family, and I hope to go back as soon as I can!

When I arrived in Bogota it was 5:40 AM and for me 3:30 AM, so needless to say I was tired. Even so, I was ready for the five weeks I would spend here. The next morning I started getting ready at 5 for the bus to pick me up at 6. Here school begins at 7, so naturally bus schedules are also earlier. I was still slightly disoriented from waking up early with the two-hour time difference. Once I arrived at school, I started being introduced to the rest of my new classmates. Everyone was incredibly friendly and welcoming, telling me to ask them if I ever needed any help. That first day I was able to get a tour of the school, which I found to be very different from ours. In California we’re constantly surrounded by Hills; our school is on the base of Mount Diablo. Here, although there are surrounding hills, they aren’t as prominent, rather something to look at in the distance. 

That first day was mostly meeting new people and getting introduced constantly. I had previously talked with my host family to arrange for classes I took outside of school. After school on Mondays and Fridays I have piano lessons, while my Tuesday afternoons consist of going to an art studio. 

I’ve had the opportunity to see some parts of Bogota. Compared to Danville, where I’m used to living, this was a big change. I was able to visit two malls in different parts of the city, one called Santa Barbara and another Santa Fe. Both are really big with lots of shops to explore. I was able to go to an artisans’ market where people set up shops to sell their handmade keychains, jewelry, bags, and shoes. It is a great place to buy gifts for all my family and friends. Living in the city I’ve seen how practical it is for the people here to order food. My host family doesn’t even go to the supermarket, since they can just order it all online and it arrives in ten minutes. 

After finishing a week in school, my host family brought me to Cajica, a town an hour outside of the city. There they have a house, or fincas as they call them here, where we stayed. The place we stayed had a small lake where I could walk around and pretty views. In front of their house was the grandparent’s house, and I got to meet them as well. In Colombia, and most Latin countries, people are very close to their families, and everybody lives fairly close to each other. I’ve already met many cousins, aunts, and uncles. All of them frequently hold big reunions to celebrate special occasions or simply to see each other. 

I’ve already had lots of great experiences and made memories with friends. I’m looking forward to my remaining weeks in Bogotá.

As I stepped on the airplane heading to Cape Town, I knew that I was so close yet so far (at least in miles). I had just traveled over 12 hours to London (my layover). It was quite an adventure to get to South Africa.

My mom and I were at the San Francisco airport for our flight to London when I heard a woman say, “I heard the plane does not have a wheel and the airline will cancel the flight.” I was thinking “we don’t need the wheel and no they will not cancel the flight.” Ten minutes later they announced that flight was cancelled, and we needed to go home.

Thankfully, I was with my mom. She called the airline and tried to figure out what to do so I could get to South Africa. The airline told us that we needed to get our bags. I went down to baggage claim and my mom went to the check-in counter. I was talking with some fellow passengers and one the guys had an Apple Air Tag that showed our bags were still on the plane. At that point I was annoyed, stressed and nervous. After 45 minutes, our bags came and my mom and I took an Uber home. She called the airline, and they told her that there was nothing they could do. I didn’t know what to think about the flight being cancelled.

I woke up the next day and my mom told me that our flight was happening that afternoon. We got the airport and the check-in lady said that I would have to recheck my bags when I got to Heathrow. Just in case my flight got canceled, my mom had asked her friend who lives in London if I could stay with his family for the night. He said that I absolutely could. I was very thankful that I had a place to stay just in case. We got to the lounge and talked to this mom and son who were going to Europe for a couple of weeks. We get on our plane and as we taxied, I thought to myself “ok you are one step closer to your exchange.” As we were taking off, I saw Mount Diablo in the distance.

The flight to London was ten hours long. I didn’t sleep much, but watched a few movies. We landed in London and the next step was a nine-hour layover. My mom was flying on to Rome and the check-in person said that my mom had to catch her flight now, so I would be by myself for the nine hours. I tried to be strong for my mom because I wanted to show her that I could do this. I sat in the same lounge for nine hours and was starting to get really bored. I was also missing my family a lot and I just wanted to go home. But I told myself, that I could do this and I am independent and I am strong. I kept my eye on the flight board. At 9:25 my flight popped up and I headed to my gate. We boarded and I let everyone know that I made it on the flight. I was one step closer to Cape Town.

I slept for four to five hours, which really helped. It also kept my mind off missing my family. The captain came over the PA to say that we were starting our descent into Cape Town. I was excited and nervous. I had travelled for about 30 hours. I didn’t know what my exchange family was going to be like. I got through customs easily and I got my bags. Then I walked out to where everyone was and I saw my exchange, Sienna, holding a sign with my name. I immediately ran into her arms and hugged her. I felt so loved already.

The drive to their house was gorgeous. It was such a nice day when I got there. They decided to take me to a rugby game that night. When I got to their house, I met their dog and took the nicest shower of my life. After some food. we headed to the rugby game. The energy in that stadium was out of this world. South Africa won and I felt like that was the perfect way to get introduced to South African culture. After dinner at home, me and Sienna watched a movie. I slept for 12 hours, and it was so nice.

The next day, Sunday, I met some of Sienna’s friends. They were so excited to meet me, and I instantly felt welcomed into her friend group. We had a great time talking about America and similarities between South Africa and America. Monday we had off, so I had to get my unform for school. I did not want to wear a uniform, but I had to. I got a skirt and pants. The pants are comfortable, and they keep me warm.

Tuesday we started school. I was nervous and excited the same time. We had assembly first and I was told that I had to make a speech. I was anxious and wrote down what I wanted to say, but I didn’t need my phone. I talked about Athenian, and they laughed at the part where I said that America is extremely far away and another part. I thought the laughing at those parts were a good sign that they liked my speech.

I shadowed Sienna that day. Everyone asked where I was from and said that they were excited to meet me. The biggest difference between St. Cyprians and Athenian is that St. Cyps is an all-girls school, but I didn’t see that as a problem. Sometimes being at an all-girls school is nice. I had to get black lace up shoes, and I got a really bad blister on my ankle. When we finished school I got asked what I thought about the school, and I said “it felt like a 1960’s British school.” (My thought of the school changed pretty quickly.) Sienna gave me a tour of the school and I immediately felt lost because every hall looked the same to me. I found my way around the school eventually.

On Thursday mornings, I have soccer practice at 6:30 am and I wake up at 5:30 am. It was pretty hard to get up at that time, but I did it and it was nice to touch a ball again. I was tired on Thursday after a long day. On Friday, I went to a birthday party, which was so much fun. It was nice to meet people from South Africa and girls who go to my school but who are not in my classes. I got to Saturday and realized that I made it through my first week in Cape Town. It was so nice to have friends and an amazing exchange family that has been really supportive and have offered for us to do touristy things. I can’t wait to see what the rest of my exchange looks like

For the spring of my Gap Year after graduating from Athenian, I worked as a student intern at Ermitage International School, a Round Square school in France. After countless emails, visa application rejections, and months of problem-solving, I arrived in Paris unsure of what to expect but ready for this three-month adventure.

Ermitage is situated north-west of Paris in the picturesque town of Maisons-Laffitte. When crossing into the town on the bridge over the Seine, the rooftops of ornate, historical homes appear between thousands of trees and endless park space. The main street is lit at night by decorative lampposts and by dawn the smell of fresh baguettes wafts from each boulangerie that lines the sidewalk. As I drove past the Châteaux de Maisons-Laffitte for the first time, the whole area looked like a fairytale.

I arrived at Ermitage and entered the most international, vibrant community I have ever been a part of. In my first week, I met students and teachers from six continents, heard dozens of languages, and was often given a list of countries when someone explained to me where they were from. In my boarding house alone, the girls came from more than ten different countries and most spoke three or four languages. The dining hall was always full of students chatting in French, English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, and more. As an International School, Ermitage operates in both French and English; however I was grateful for every hour of French class I had taken at Athenian as a newcomer to the many francophone social and academic spaces.

My goals for my time at the school were to improve my French, immerse in French culture, and gain work experience in the international environment. In my first few weeks I discovered that each of these would not only be vital to my success in my internship, but also were goals I would inch closer to every day. As a student intern, my responsibilities included substitute teaching, supervising exams, performing administrative tasks, and walking with young students between school buildings. I also assisted on field trips, worked on school events, and helped wherever help was needed. My schedule was ever-changing and often intimidating, but always meaningful.

In my third week, I agreed to substitute for a French-speaking middle school math class even though I felt barely qualified to teach math in English, let alone French. Despite my grammatical blunders and limited abilities to help the students with their problem sets the hour I spent with the class–and the many more I taught throughout my stay–were some of my favorite and most rewarding times.

In working with students from ages 10-18, I learned how the French system impacts students in different ways than the American one I grew up in. I was able to see how problems, ideas, and even other countries might look from the students’ points of view. They told me what different issues they worried about, and what they were focused on. But more than all the differences, I saw how similar their experiences were to each others and to mine. The struggles, jokes, successes, and growing pains of middle and high school were universal for these students who described them with countless different cultures as their settings. Though I was often teased as the American in the room, it was fascinating to compare and contrast where my newfound friends and I came from. Even through monotonous tasks, I was able to learn about new places and perspectives every day and to share my own.

By the end of my time at Ermitage, I confidently spoke French at work and when out in Paris. I felt adjusted not just to French culture but also to the unique international culture I got to experience at the school. In getting to teach and work with the students, I grew to understand the impacts of education and what it can look like in an increasingly global world. My experience at Ermitage has impacted my path and perspective for the better, and I will carry what I have learned with me into college and beyond. I am infinitely grateful for my time as a Round Square Gap intern. I would highly recommend it to any student motivated to take on this immersive, challenging, and rewarding opportunity.

My mother, sister and I arrived late Saturday night in Lima, Perú, and crashed unceremoniously upon the bed at our hotel room. Around midday the next day, my exchange buddy, Arantza, and her family picked us up from the hotel and drove us to their house. Later that afternoon, relatives began to stream into the house, kissing me on the cheek as they arrived. That greeting still takes a bit of getting used to. Every now and then I forget and have to pray that I didn’t accidentally offend someone. The relatives were extremely friendly, though, and soon I was enjoying a game of multilingual Monkey in the Middle with some bright-eyed, manically-smiling little cousins. At the urgings of my host father and some of the uncles, I tried Inca-Cola, an extremely sweet Peruvian soda that tastes at first like lemon-lime and then almost immediately after like liquid bubble gum. They were very eager to see if I liked it. Apparently it´s the sort of thing you either love or hate, but I still haven’t quite made up my mind.

The next day was my first day of school. I followed my exchange buddy around nervously. She was fully on top of everything: introducing me to her friends, explaining to the teachers that I was an exchange student, and taking me to the tech center so that I could get signed into the school system. Even though most of my energy that day was spent on basic survival maneuvers (such as figuring out where to sit in class while being as unobtrusive as possible, and understanding Spanish), I could still appreciate and respect the efficiency with which Arantza took care of things. When she introduced me to her friends, usually I would add in a shy ¨hola¨ and they would ask (in Spanish) if I spoke Spanish. This touched off a funny little struggle in which I had to ask them to repeat several times before I understood the question, then claim that I actually did speak a little bit of the language.

The first couple of weeks were tough on my ¨developing¨ comprehension skills, but I found that by the end of the second week I was more able to pick words out when listening to conversations. It’s the end of my fifth week now and I still have a lot of trouble with comprehension. It’s hard and exhausting trying to speak another language. I now understand enough Spanish to be able to figure out what a conversation is about, but not enough to know what people are actually saying. In comparison to the beginning of my exchange, when I understood zero things, this is an improvement, but I still have millions of kilometers (ha! Take that, imperial units) to go.

Markham College is very different from Athenian. It´s a British school in Perú, so all the faculty and students are fluent in English but generally speak Spanish outside the classroom. The educational style is different too. The school prepares the students for various sets of tests. While the homework load is light, the general expectation is that students spend the extra time studying and reviewing (which they call ¨revising¨) for their tests. Classes at Markham also seem to ¨teach to the test,¨ emphasizing that the students learn the necessary facts and techniques for what will be asked of them on their exams. Because of the standardized nature of the education, new units often do not connect to the previous ones. Class sizes are slightly larger than those at Athenian (twenty students or so, as opposed to sixteen to eighteen) but not necessarily any less efficient for it; however, unlike Athenian, class discussions are not a part of the curriculum.

What I have noticed in the people I have met here in Perú is that they are incessantly generous and always happy to take you in as one of their own. My host family is the primary example of this. They´ve been wonderful to me. When I got Covid, they were very attentive, making sure I had enough food and water and calling a doctor to come and see me, just in case. The extended family members that I have met are all friendly and kiss me on the cheek or hug me when I come to a weekend family gathering (those seem to happen a lot). The cousins were unfazed by my arrival and seem to view me as the temporary American cousin, readily including me in games with them.

With the teenagers I met at school, it was a little more difficult to make friends because the language barrier would almost always leave me out of conversation. In the first month, I felt extremely isolated because of the language barrier and thought that my peers were somewhat prickly, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Thinking back, I realize that they were actually incredibly kind. Arantza´s friends were happy to adopt me into their weekend get-togethers and include me in their pre-party preparation routines. The Markham students were happy to switch to English for me once I had exhausted my Spanish abilities and in my last few days at school, people I´d considered friendly acquaintances went out of their way to tell me how nice it was to get to know me, and how sad they were that I was leaving. The people I have met in this country have been nothing but welcoming and kind, and it makes me wish I had more time here.

My recommendation for those going on exchange is to be intentional in taking care of yourself. Since your routine will be so severely disrupted, remember to do things like drink enough water (sometimes you forget but it’s important), get enough sleep (especially if you are spending lots of time trying to understand a new language), eat enough food, and exercise to burn off steam. Joining your school´s sports team is a good way to do the last one. Other things to consciously try include seeking out people to talk to (you might want to hang out with people beyond your exchange buddy and their friends, which is normal), which is tough but worthwhile. Be intentional about having fun, too. Remember that you will only be there for one to two months, so (within reason) you get to do things you wouldn’t normally do, and it doesn’t matter as much. One day, another exchange student invited me to come with him to rugby practice. I had never played before, but discovered I sort of enjoyed. I went to my first party, which was something that would have scared me in the US but that I realized was a totally manageable experience. Sometimes, I don´t do my homework because it’s my summertime and it won’t affect my Athenian grades. It’s totally okay.

Oh- and if you end up in Perú, eat as much food as you possibly can because it is excellent. I recommend all chicken dishes, as well as lomo saltado (a beef, rice and potato dish), chaufa (a Peruvian-adapted style of fried rice) and huancaina, a type of pepper sauce. If somebody offers you a stuffed pepper, eat it- everything here is so flavorful.

I’m closing in on my last few days here in Lima. I have learned so much and wish I had more time to get to know the people, the country, the language, and of course, the food!

I’m nearing the end of my stay here in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is a bittersweet feeling. I clearly remember how the nerves finally registered as the pilot announced we would be landing in Ezeiza International Airport in 15 minutes. I was tired and disoriented as the pilot made another announcement saying that we would have to stay in the air for up to an hour because of the unexpected fog surrounding the airport. The pilot then announced that if we couldn’t land, we would have to fly across the country and land in Mendoza, 600 miles away from Buenos Aires. Surprisingly, I didn’t panic. Somehow I knew, without ever meeting my host family, that they would be extremely supportive and helpful if the worse case scenario was to happen. Thankfully, the plane landed safely in Buenos Aires an hour later. I rushed through customs and the baggage claim and suddenly it was time to leave the comfort of the airport terminals and into the reality of being in a foreign country. I walked out of the automatic doors and I was welcomed by my host mom and by a much needed hug from Mili, my host sister. With this hug, I knew that we would create a lifelong friendship.

When I arrived at their home I was welcomed with more kisses on my right cheek from her two sisters, twin brother, and her dad, stares from her two cats Asia and Menta, medialunas, and dulce de leche. The next day in school I was once again welcomed with cheek kisses and greetings by some of the kindest people I have ever met. The first week blurred together in a mix of Argentinian candy and treats, friendly greetings, cold mornings and pretty sunrises, and learning a whole new way of pronouncing Spanish. I have been all around downtown Buenos Aires, with both my host family and my new friends. I saw Recoleta and the cemetery, Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada, MALBA, la Boca, and walked through the streets of Buenos Aires.

There have been so many amazing experiences on this trip, and my favorite parts are not just sightseeing in the city. At Athenian, I haven’t really experienced free time after school because of a really busy schedule with homework and sports. Here, even though school ends at 4:30, I have so much time after school to just relax which is such a nice feeling. Mili and I have spent our afternoons with “tomar el té”, watching our favorite show together, going on runs, and realizing how much we have in common. One of the things that surprised me the most about Argentina is the late dinner times. I expected later dinners at like 8… but on the first night I was eating dinner at 10:30. This took so long to get used to. When in California the first thing I do after school is rush to dinner. But with a snack and tea after school, which is called “tomar el té,” I could make it until the late dinner. “Tomar el té” became my favorite meal of the day. We drink tea and eat Argentinian pastries like the sugary croissants called medialunas.

In Argentina, I’ve gotten a sense of a calm and balanced culture compared to the US’s “busy” culture. Things here aren’t rushed or stressed and there is time to enjoy myself instead of being hurried through the week. There is time to talk to your friends. There is so much time to relax in any way that works for you. At Godspell College the pressure for perfect grades doesn’t really exist. Here, the students’ skills in a certain class are graded on your performance throughout the entire quarter or semester, rather than a single test you might have done badly on. Also their grades are based on a whole different scale. I have personally always put so much pressure on getting good grades, so experiencing school in such a different way from what I’m used to is really refreshing and was much needed for me. 

Even though I have had the time of my life here, it hasn’t been easy. I kinda assumed that I wouldn’t feel homesick at all, and of course that wasn’t true. About halfway through my stay I started to really miss my family. Going back home felt so far away and I wasn’t completely new to Argentina. It lasted for about a day or two until I told myself to take my time here day by day and that I shouldn’t worry about going home just yet. And it worked, because now I’m here and I’m leaving way too soon. Being away from your usual routine and your family and friends is difficult, so my biggest advice to anyone going on exchange is to find your own routine and build some structure in a new and unpredictable place. Finding time to be alone was especially important to me. Once I knew my way around the neighborhood, I’ve been going on runs on my own to get some peace of mind and time to reflect on my experience. Also, every day I wrote in my exchange journal about anything and everything and that helped me so much. The language barrier was difficult especially in friend settings because it’s hard to participate in a conversation and it’s hard to participate like usual. So my journal really helped me get random feelings and thoughts out.  

I’m getting sad writing this because I know I won’t ever experience something like this again, and that I won’t get to spend so much time with Mili and her family again in the same way. I’ve built such a great relationship with her family and it is one of the things that makes me saddest about leaving. I feel so appreciated by her family, and I’m sure that my experience would not have been as good without them. I will miss them so much and I can’t wait to see them again when my family and I come to visit. I will never forget this trip or the friends I’ve made here both with people and my host family’s cats. When Mili comes to visit my family and Athenian, I can’t wait to give her an equally amazing experience. Te amo Argentina.