Living the American dream as an exchange student

My adventure began just two months ago, on Aug. 24, 2024, when I took my first step onto American soil. A mixture of excitement and homesickness has marked my time since arriving. The last two months have , for sure, been a big upheaval in my little Parisian life.

Thanks to the kindness of a host mother who agreed to live this experience with me, I am able to discover, on a daily basis, the life of an American teenager. Completely different from the life of a French teenager, I know that I’ll come out of this experience bigger and stronger. 

The first difference I noticed when I arrived in the United States was the showers. Here, the showerhead is attached to the wall and you can’t move it, whereas in France you can take it between your hands and direct the water where you want (much more practical, in my opinion). But I quickly got used to this difference. From my very first day of class, I noticed a certain difference in style between American and French teenagers. I think Americans are more themselves and care much less about what people around them think; which is quite the opposite of French teenagers who compare themselves a lot and wear a lot of designer brands. I think it’s quite toxic because people don’t dress for themselves anymore, but for people, and I honestly prefer the American vision on this subject. 

Every day is filled with discovery, and I try to make the most of every little moment here, whether it’s visiting the Space Needle or just strolling around my American neighborhood. I’m gradually realizing how precious these moments are, because I won’t get the chance to experience them a second time. 

If I had to share one thing that I particularly appreciate about being here, it would be the kindness of the American people, especially the teachers, who are always so welcoming and caring. American high schools are very different, even the opposite of French high schools. In France, there’s huge academic pressure, and I even wonder how it’s possible for teenagers here to have fun and enjoy their lives, whereas in France it’s practically impossible because school takes up all our free time. Here, the school environment is set up in such a way that every student feels good and takes care of his or her mental health. Weekends are “real weekends” in the sense that there’s little or no homework to do and you can just enjoy yourself, which is totally the opposite in France where most teenagers spend most of their free time working to succeed; because all we’re asked to do in France is succeed without really caring about anything else.  I really prefer American high schools without a doubt. I’m really stressed about having to go back to school in France in one year…

I’m really excited to experience holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, because these are holidays that don’t have as much importance in France. For example, Halloween is just a holiday for little kids, French teenagers aren’t too concerned about it and houses aren’t decorated. I’m really looking forward to it, and I know there’s still so much to discover in this beautiful country.

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