How it REALLY is being an exchange student.

So now I've decided to write this post in English because I also want to share this with all of my new wonderful American friends and family. So I'll already apologize if there's a lot of mistakes and stuff haha, I'll try my best not to mess it up too much..

"Being an exchange student is awesome."

"I had the best year of my life."

"I've learned so much about myself."

"I understand people from a different culture so much more now."

These are some of the things a lot of people told me about a year ago, before I left home. This was from people who had already been abroad. This was some of the things people told, so I could encourage myself, to convince myself that this was what I wanted to do. What I wanted to experience in life. They all told me about how wonderful life was in America, and how their exchange year had changed them forever. I became so curious, and I couldn't wait to see how my own experiences abroad would teach me my "life lesson."

So first of all, being an foreign exchange student, is one of the best but also hardest things I have ever been through. You leave home, to go to a different country, and to live with strangers. Or at least strangers at first. And you will be all alone at first. You don’t know anyone, you’re used to having friends all around from home, but here there’s nobody at first. I still remember my very first day in America. It was horrible haha. I chose to go to the EF camp, which was one of the BEST experiences in my year. I got to meet so many people from all over the world. But that first day away from home… I was tired, I was confused, I was sad. I remember that all of the people I was traveling to America with from Denmark, they all wanted to hangout and go meet new people already that very first day. I knew that I already was an open person, but leaving home and knowing I wouldn’t be back before a year, and then go meet new people and put a big happy smile on my face, it was just too much to ask for. So that day all I did was cry, take a shower, cry and go to bed. That was only my very first day, trust me. I just needed to get it out I guess. All other days at the camp were WONDERFUL and I can strongly recommend everyone to go on the camp if you’re traveling to the U.S with EF. Overall, everyday in America has been so great.

some of the most common questions I got when I first arrived to Utah was "why did you come to Utah"

"why did you skip a year to come here"

"why Utah"

"but if this year doesn't count at home, why would you come” 

"do you have to repeat the year at home? That sucks"

"why did you go on an exchange"

"do you miss home"

 and so on... First of all, these kind of questions are some good questions, depending on how you say it. I got a lot of these questions from different people, where some of them said it in a rude or snotty way. Don’t do that. Like come on, it's not because I was the one who chose to come to Utah. My host-family chose ME, to come live with them. And btw Utah is freaking amazing. I love Utah, and I wouldn’t have wanted to go anywhere else. And why would I come even though I have to repeat the year at home? Well, maybe because I wanted to get the experience to live in a different country, with a different language, with different people, with a different religion and a different culture. You learn SO much more than what a single school year from home could’ve taught you. And of course I miss home? Come on. Don't take this the wrong way, I loved when people asked me questions and when people showed interest in me and my country. But some people could be really snotty and annoying, so just be nice when asking questions haha.

 I don't think anybody will ever understand how much an exchange student experiences on their year abroad. We get such an incredible new way of seeing life, and to see new opportunities and to really stay strong through bad times. I don't think you will ever truly understand this, unless you were to be an exchange student yourself. You grow and learn so much about yourself. You become more open, and you really do get a new way of seeing life. I lived with people who had a totally different religion than what I’m used to at home, and people with a whole different culture. They are all such wonderful people, both family and friends. I love each and every one of them, they’ve all made a huge difference in my life, and the way I see life. I have grown so much as a person, and I’ve become much more mature, responsible and independent. Even though, there’s a bunch of hard times, all the good times over shine the bad. Because there will be bad and hard times. You will miss home. A lot. You will miss all the pals from home, and mom & dad even though most of us wont admit it before we see them again after our exchange year. Through all the bad times, you just gotta keep going. And this is not only for exchange students, this replies to anyone. Whenever there’s hard times, or some really bad times and you ever get the thought like “I can’t do this no more” “I want to just give up already”. Allow yourself to overcome that fear and keep going. You can do it. I remember the times when I had the feelings that I wanted to go home (because yes, I also wanted to go home at one point) I just kept on thinking about all the stories I heard from former exchange students. “If THEY could do it, SO CAN I”. Believe it or not, that really kept me going most of the times.

I don’t want it to sound like I only had bad or hard times, because I really didn’t. I had so few bad days, and I only missed home a little bit. I’ve had so much fun being here in Utah for 10 months, and I am so grateful for all the people I met while I was here. Thank you so much to everyone who became a part of my new second family. I will miss each and every one of you so much. I will never forget this year, and I strongly recommend all of you to go on a year abroad. You wont regret it. I will come back to visit, but if any of you ever find yourself in Denmark, call me.

Now, I’ll say some things/quotes like I did at the first of this;

“You learn SO MUCH about yourself”
“I love so many people from a different country, different religion, different culture, that I though I would never do”
If you want to keep in touch hit me up

“I will NEVER forget this year”

“Being an exchange student IS AWESOME”

Much love,

Rasmine Brams 

All americans keep in touch;

Twitter: Rasmineb

Instagram & snapchat: Rasminebrams

Email: Rasminebrams@hotmail.com

Aaaand facebook: Rasmine Brams