Indian Students What is an International Exchange Experience Like?

A YFU exchange experience has many great qualities:

• It is amazing!
• It is living on a budget and sometimes being frustrated.
• It is discovering a new family, and new friends.
• It is being homesick and sometimes miserable.
• It is seeing a new country, and being exposed to exciting new ideas.
• It is becoming exhausted, and sometimes being bored.
• It is being looked upon as a representative of your country.
• It is making responsible decisions.
• It is experiencing failure, and learning how to overcome it.
• It is realizing that you are in a different culture, and finding the courage and flexibility to adjust to it.
• It is being exposed to new foods and discovering that you like them.
• It is becoming more independent.
• It is learning how much you love, and value your natural family.
• It is rediscovering how much you love, and value your own country.

What type of student has a successful exchange experience?

A student who ...

• Has curiosity
• Has the ability to tolerate failure and has a positive and realistic expectation
• Is adaptable and flexible
• Is tolerant to differences
• Is able to communicate
• Has a sense of humor
• Is motivated
• Is open minded
• Has a positive regard for others
• Is patient
• Is respectful of different cultures
• Is open to learn from mistakes
• Is able to participate fully, in home, school and community activities