By Ramona Boecker, Foreign Exchange Student

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – “Explore. Dream. Discover.” – With this quotation from Mark Twain my representative, who sponsors me through the Congress-Bundestag-Youth-Exchange (CBYX) scholarship, said goodbye and sent me on my very first flight on a plane overseas directly into this adventure.

My name is Ramona; I am sixteen years old and an exchange student from Germany. So far so good, but what does that mean?

As an exchange student I am going to a high school in the USA, instead of in my home country Germany, for one school year and I am living here as a part of a complete new family.

I am here in Clarksville, TN since August and I have already been able to experience some parts of the American way of life. But of course there is still enough to learn and discover for the rest of my exchange year.

The most common questions people ask me here are, “How do you like it so far?” and “Why did you become an exchange student?” The first question is pretty easy: I really enjoy it! I have met so many different people, seen so many new places and had a lot of fun since I am here. It surprises me every time, if I notice how similar and how different the USA compared to Germany is at the same time.

The second question is a little bit more complex. I decided to become an exchange student and to study abroad most of all because I never travelled a lot, I never flew on an airplane and so I yearned to see distant places and explore something new.

I heard about some student exchange programs and organizations and also about a scholarship (the CBYX). I started to collect more and more information and became aware of the many more advantages and chances, like to learn or improve a foreign language, experience a new culture, think more open-minded, gain independence, become part of a second family and meet friends all over the world. I applied and got this golden opportunity: A full scholarship to study abroad in the United States of America for one year.

If you are interested in studying abroad or in bringing the world in your own house by hosting an exchange student, you will find more information here:

www.afsusa.org
www.usagermanyscholarship.org
www.yes-abroad.org
www.nsliforyouth.org