Is it worth it?

Guess who's back, back again

My blog's back, tell a friend

So I stopped posting for a few personal reasons, just didn't have the inspiration to go on with it... BUT! my writer's block is finally gone and I've been feeling everyday a bit more inspired to publish again, so here it goes, my very first post after a few months... a reflection of what exchange means to me.

Exchange is the best thing that will ever happen to you. You will make friends, both exchangers and locals, that will be with you for life. You will suddenly find yourself having multiple families, the one you left back home and whom you miss the most, but also the families here that open their homes and their hearts to you and make you feel welcomed and loved. You will see amazing, breath-taking, unbelievable places, the kind of places that make you actually stop and think about how grateful you are for where you are and everything that is going on in your life right now. 

You will think a lot about the family and friends you left behind and how much more you appreciate them now that they are so far away. And you will also feel proud of yourself, not in a cocky way, but because you actually will go/are going/went through a whole year of struggles, tears and happy moments all on your own. You will gain a sense of independence that you didn't have before, exchange will make you grow up, open your mind and your eyes to a new world, to many different cultures and traditions.

Being an exchange student is something to be proud of. Very few get to see the world like we do, and we must be thankful for the opportunity we have. 

It's short, it's not anything that hasn't been said before, but it felt right to write it down, to get it out there for everyone asking themselves if it's worth it becoming an exchange student. It is. It is worth every single tear, every single laugh, every single penny and every single Skype call with the ones you love, it's even worth every boring day at school and every awkward party. It's worth every day you feel like you're alone in the world, because it's then when you realize that you're not, that you have friends, family, even strangers in the exchange community that are there for you, in whatever way you might need them. I will never regret becoming an exchange student, and I will carry my experiences this year throughout my whole life.

Have fun, be safe, don't get caught!