“Where are you from again?”
“Can you say something in your language?”
“What do you eat in your country?”
“Do you guys even have candy with real sugar?”
The exchange students at Timberline can confirm that they have been asked these questions repeatedly. Yes, even the last question was something a classmate asked Lola Fledderus, an exchange student from the Netherlands.
Young people who leave their country to temporarily start over in an unfamiliar place, hoping to learn about the country, make new friends, and experience a new culture. It sounds overwhelming to many, but it is a reality for exchange students. At a young age, they decide to broaden their horizons to start a new life in places where they did not know a seat was waiting for them.
Exchange programs invite them not only to travel, but to immerse themselves completely in a culture they have never lived in before, to have a unique experience, and to see parts of the world they never thought they would see. Many of them come here to search for, and in most cases, find their path, their destiny, their ambitions, and to understand that there is always something beyond their routine back home.
We had the chance to talk to three exchange students at Timberline from different countries, and we asked them questions about why they wanted to do an exchange year, things they were excited about coming to the US, culture shocks they experienced, and differences between an American high school and the high school where they came from. First, we talked with Lola Fledderus (Jr.) from the Netherlands, Carlota Martin Santiveri (So.) from Spain, and Linus Brandtner (Jr.) from Austria.
“Starting a new life” were Lola’s first words about why she chose an exchange year. “I wanted to learn about the world, other cultures, but also about myself. What do I want to do later in life? What do I even like and dislike? What are the things in life I find important? You can learn so much by being on your own in a new place with a new family. I wanted a new challenge in life, to learn and grow from everything around me as a person.”
We asked why she was most excited about coming to the US: “Super silly, but I was so excited for the American food… I’ve seen hundreds of mukbangs on social media, and I was so anxious to try everything.” But of course, that was not the only reason she came here. Lola was looking forward to start learning about American culture.
Like everyone outside of the United States, she has watched a lot of typical American movies and has always been curious about the American high school experience. But also the American feast days and the normal habits that US citizens have.
Her biggest culture shock was the AC everywhere. Warm outside but super cold inside. Her organization prepared her for a lot of culture shocks that exchange students often have, but not for this one. She told us she prepared so many cute summer outfits for school and only wore three of them this entire school year so far: “I am still cold every day in school!”
We were also curious about how different an American high school is compared to their old high schools:
“I think the biggest difference between an American high school and a Dutch high school is about sports.” That’s what she said. She started off saying that your sport and school are not coherent. In America, you play for your school; in the Netherlands, you play for your club. So you also play at a different location and not on school properties. There is not really a school spirit because of this, so something that she really likes about American schools, and mostly Timberline, is the wolf pack spirit! American football doesn’t exist in the Netherlands, and cheer is not really a sport there either. “Soccer is the most popular sport for boys, and field hockey for girls.” That’s what she told us.
Carlota started off telling us that she wanted to improve her English, make new friends, and just get to know more parts of the world in general.
She was super excited to learn about the real American culture and to get to know her new family here. “Lunch time feels so weird!” Carlota explained to us that they eat lunch around 3 p.m. and dinner at almost 10 p.m. That was a really big difference she needed to adapt to. She also told us that people at school dress a lot more casually. In Spain, it’s abnormal to wear sweatpants and slippers to school. Another huge difference is that in Spain, the teachers go into your classroom, instead of the students changing classrooms every period. “I’m getting way more steps per day than I did before!”
Linus told us he also wanted to improve his English and learn about American culture. There is no American football in Austria, so he was super excited to practice for the games and to have a team that he could rely on. “There is ice in every drink I order!” was something that was a big culture shock that he had from the beginning. He also talked about water fountains everywhere; in Austria, he can just drink out of the school sinks. At last, he told us about the difference between the high schools: “Sometimes it’s hard to take school seriously, because it’s too easy for me”. Linus told us that American schools are way easier than schools in Austria, but also that the way teachers grade and test students is different as well.
So, exchange programs aren’t just about traveling, they’re about seeing the world in a new way. The experience that pushes students to grow, adapt, and understand others on a deeper level. It’s not always easy, but those challenges help them remake themselves and create connections. When they come back, they have a bigger perspective on the world, new stamps in their passport, tons of memories they will never forget, and we, students, are all a part of their journey.
