For exchange student

There are questions for exchange students! Only for those who are spending their exchange year right now/have already come back home. Rules are very simply; answer these questions and then tag other exchange students from your friend list!


1. The first, biggest question: WHY did you decide to leave your home for a year?

I wanted to know how it is to live in an other culture with all new things without your family and friends around you. I have been thinking of going for exchange like 10years so I really wanted to do this. This is a great experience.


2. When did you spend your exchange year?

August2010-July2011 so here I am!


3. What was/is your new home country, so where did/do you spend your exchange year?

I'm spending my year in France, but my home is in Finland.


4. Did/Do you often feel homesick?
Not so much. I have been thinking of Finland quite a lot, I havent got yet the feeling that I love France and Finland is nothing compared to this paradise etc etc. I like it here but I like it in Finland better. Maybe I'll have that France is the best place in the world -feeling later, or not. i dunno yet, will see! In these couple weeks I think i've been missing Finland more than before but it's not so bad. I don't know if it will be worse but now it's fine. I think that Christmas will be quite hard, but i'll survive;)


5. What is the best thing you have experienced during your exchange year?

I have learned a lot of things about myself and I can see the life here by living it my self, not just like coming to visit as a tourist. I have seen good and not so good things and now I really know that Finland is the best place to live. I also appreciate things more now and all that. Ofcourse I've also met great people, not so much french (my host family ofc, love you!) but other exchange students an all that. It's been so awesome with you guys!



6. What is the worst thing you have experienced during your exchange year?

I don't know if there is like bad things but somethings which are not so cool. For exemple it's hard to get friends an all that stuff. There is not just like one thing particularly. It's hard to explain but hope you all understand my point. ok you don't but that's fine. Or if you know what I mean. (Daaamn my english is getting so bad) And ofcourse it's not so nice to miis your home and firends an that and when you are feeling down etc.


7. What did your parents say when you told them that you want to travel abroad for a year?

Well they were just like ok that's cool. We are with you. And they were, thanks:)Also cause my mother was an exchange in Italy, it was easier cause it wasn't like "new" for them.


8. How about your friends?

I think they were happy and glad that i can have this experience but ofcourse sad too cause we are spending now one year a part. And me or my friends didn't really actually realised what was starting when I came here. like I'm not getting it even now when I have already been here soon 4months, that I'm living in France for one year. It's jsut so weird. And cause i filled the papers like 2years before leaving, people knew it quite a long time and we were just not thinking about it. And then the day just came. I dunno!


9. What do you think is the most important thing that exchange year can teach/did teach you?

Like i mentioned before, i have learned more about my self and found some new qualities from myself. I also respect more my friendships and family and all that.



10. Did/Do you have a nice hostfamily?

I reaally have a great host family! They are really nice with me and i felt really pleasant from the first day i arrived here. They are pationed with my language progressing and taking care of me and all that. I feel part of the family kind of (I also have my days when i do dishes! That has to mean something)


11. What is the school you went/go to, and did/do you like it?

I'm in Lycée Jules Verne. It's a school with good standards and it's quite striked (or i think so, i come from Hatanpää highschool anyway so..) It's fine for this one year but aybe not place for me like really. But it's ok. (En nyt ala latelee englanniks mitä hirvityksiä tähân jos joku gbongaa tän sielt koulust)


12. What is the first thing you're going to do when you'll go back home. Or, what was the first thing if you have already come back home?

Well I think i'll cry. And see all my friends and family like cousins and grandparents etc, and do stuff. and I think I'll feel really weird. But we'll see!


13. What did/do you miss most from your home country?

Friends and family and dog, snow, that I can express my feelings in finnish and that I can make jokes easily etc, my hometown Tampere and my school A LOT! Weird, ha?


14. Last things that people said you before you left home?

Party hard, we love you so much, take care, We didn't have to pay over weight from your luggage so now you have more money to spend(yes daddy, i remember.. really sweet for last words!), be your self, make friends, have fun, Kapaaaa!


15. What kind of advices you would give to new exchange students?

Go to every place that you are asked, even if it doesn't sound so cool. Cause it might be cool anyway, and what will you lose if you go, nothing! Don't worry too much and enjoy your staying cause it doesn't last long, even if it does feel like that sometimes. And those times when you feel down and everything is fucked up, don't keep on thinkig that, try to get over it as fast as possible. Then you'll have more fun. your family or other things in your homecountry won't desappear and you won't have them no matter how hard you would like to. Take new things as opportunities. Try to be social and make friends, things ae more fun that way! Party hard and have fun.