As my stay in South Africa has come to an end, I can proudly say that those six weeks were something I will never forget! It was such a great experience and very eye-opening. Before this trip I never knew what Afrikaans sounded like, what a township looked like, how delicious biltong (a better version of jerky) was, and how easily two people from completely different sides of the world could become friends so easily. Thanks to this exchange, I’ve been exposed to and learned lots of new things. I learned a lot about myself too. Not knowing what to expect, I figured that while on exchange I was going to be very quiet and keep to myself a lot, but it was the exact opposite. Because I was in an environment where I didn’t know anyone, I found myself being more energetic and open to new things than ever before.
If anyone is thinking about going on exchange in the future… I definitely recommend it! It’s such a great opportunity to learn and experience new things and meet new people. You may not realize it now, but this is an opportunity of a lifetime. Don’t pass it up!
The Athenian School Exchange Blog 