Life as an exchange student (in English)

Being an exchange student has opened my eyes and has showed me what was always there, but what I had never seen before.  Since September 9^th it has surprised me everyday how weird people act to someone they don’t know or don’t  know well. I’ve seen it happen to other exchange students as well as to myself. Of course, at first, people were really nice to me. So I thought everyone was super nice and that they were all really interested in me and my country. But after a while, when the ‘new’ was  gone, they changed. This was horrible for me, and I thought that I had done something wrong or that no one liked me anymore. But now I see that it wasn’t me who had changed, but them. and I seriously don’t get why people can be so mean and act like you’re the one who became boring, mean or just not fun. But in fact, it’s them who became that. Or have always been like that. Because if people don’t talk to you anymore after a while for no reason, it’s called being immature and asocial.

 And I’ve seen this happen many times. I met new people in class,  people who gave me the impression that they were really nice and that they thought the same thing about me. But then, when I saw them in the hallway and smiled, they didn’t even smile back. So then I started wondering if this was an American thing? If all Americans were like that? If it was just a polite thing to do, like asking ‘ how are you?’ when you actually don’t care about the answer but you just ask because it’s all about the question. But as I kept meeting more people, I noticed that not ALL people were like that. I met people who were actually really nice and who showed real interest and who didn’t care about where I was from and for whom I was a person, just like them.

 So then I started thinking again, If they want to stick with their own friends who they’ve known for 10 years, that’s fine. But if they push away the friendship and kindness of someone who has to start making new friends in a new country and has to live with a new family they don’t even know, and suddenly has to speak and understand a different language, than it’s about not WANTING to make new friends or about not having any idea about the world. So, to all those people out there ( and believe me, I’ve met enough of those people during my 6 months here in the US), I hope you will think twice now before you act like that again, because there will come a day that people won’t see your pretty hair, make-up, and perfect body anymore but just the ugly personality behind it. And with a personality that doesn’t accept new people from different cultures, who actually have the guts to move their but and leave everything that means a lot to them behind, you’re not going to get far in a country like this.

Also, to all the exchange students, of whom I’m sure that they understand what I’m talking about, don’t let those kind of people ruin your experience. I know this gets hard sometimes because some days, it just feels like all people in school are like that. But whenever you meet someone who’s like that, just know that it’s not you, but them. Because nice people, people who are nice on the inside and not only on the outside, will be nice to you, everyday.

This experience has made me realize how hard being ‘new’ can be. Some days, it feels like you have the stamp of being ‘the new kid’ or ‘the foreign kid’. And some people only see that stamp when they talk to you. It surprises me how little people see a person who’s just like them and how many people see that stamp. And I know I’m judging right now and that I was probably kind of like that in my own country but that’s why I’m writing this. Because it made me realize how rude people can be. What can you possibly do wrong by going up to someone who’s new and introduce yourself? Exactly, nothing. That person will be so grateful and there’s a big chance that that person will be the most interesting and nicest person you’ve ever met and that you’ll become good friends. And there’s no such thing as having too many friends, right?  So, let’s all think twice before we see someone new in our school (etc.) and just turn away, because there will come a day that YOU will be that ‘new kid’ and don’t know anyone.

Thanks for reading.