My American Experience: Open Your Eyes and See
Each year, we ask our students to reflect on their exchange years as part of our My American Experience essay contest. For Agata from Poland, her exchange year was shaped, above all, by the people who welcomed her to Nebraska and helped her feel at home.
Open Your Eyes and See
By Agata Wojnilko
“Before I came to the US for my exchange year, I’d heard dozens of amazing stories about school, clubs, sport teams, church groups, or trips to different towns or states. Listening to all of it, it sounded like a dream, and it was a dream that I have had since I was 13 years old. I was always interested in traveling the world, learning about new cultures, and seeing all those new, amazing places. When I realized that I would be an exchange student this school year, I was more than ready. There cannot be anything better than experiencing all that, right? - I told myself.
Throughout the whole last year, there have been dozens of places that I have seen, things that I have tried, or games and clubs that I was a part of. And while it makes me incredibly happy to share my stories, talking about those experiences in an essay about my American experience just doesn't seem fitting. Because, despite the fact that those places and things will be the base of my memories, there could not be a better description of an exchange year than PEOPLE.
Without even one person out of everyone that I met in the US (especially Crete, Nebraska), my exchange year would not have been the same. The people you meet are the ones who take you places, make you try things, welcome you to your new community, help you, and become your new teammates, friends or family. They make all this happen.
My favorite moments or days that I spend in the US are the ones that I spend sitting at the table, playing cards and talking to my host family about anything. The times when I met with my friends for breakfast, and they made me laugh so hard I cried. How they made me feel more confident. Time when I shared information about my home country and found that everyone was genuinely interested and asked questions. The time I met my host family at the airport and felt like I knew them since always. How of a good fit we were and how much they gave me by hosting me. Times in which I looked at my phone and couldn’t believe how late it was because I had so much fun. When my little sisters and I had a sleepover. When my host parents and I talked about languages and literature (our shared interests) for hours. When my Advanced Literature teacher made me read a book that became my favorite. (I never thought I would say that because I love reading, and I never thought I would have my favorite book because I simply couldn't choose!).
“What my exchange year has taught me is to appreciate others more every day: Spend some more time with your siblings. Sit down and talk to your parents in the evening. Thank your teachers for what they do for you. And tell your friends how grateful you are for meeting them”
What my exchange year has taught me is to appreciate others more every day: Spend some more time with your siblings. Sit down and talk to your parents in the evening about how their day has been. Thank your teachers for what they do for you and that thanks to them you may have found your hobby. And tell your friends how grateful you are for meeting them and for making your life a little more carefree. But also be thankful for yourself. For being brave, for being strong and for trying new things. If you weren’t yourself, you would never experience what you have experienced this year.
As a summary I would like to give advice for all the future exchange students (and not only exchange students!): “Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever” (of course I had to include a quote from my favorite book, All The Light we Cannot See by Anthony Doeer) in here). Simply travel, try, discover, experience as much as you can. But also see why and thanks to who you are where you are. Who made your life a little better. Who made you happier. Who made you smile.”
“Be thankful for yourself. For being brave, for being strong and for trying new things. If you weren’t yourself, you would never experience what you have experienced this year.”
See Recent Exchange Stories
Looking for more stories?