Laryssa went on high school in the USA

Laryssa from Austria spent her exchange year in Nebraska, USA.

In the summer of 2022, I started my exchange which lasted for 10 months, meaning that I spent an entire academic year abroad. Originally, I wanted to stay in a warm state near the coast, like California or Florida, but unfortunately, there were no available host families that matched my interests and expectations. This might be due to reasons related to the pandemic since it affected many households in the U.S. Therefore, STS was searching for a suitable host family across the entire country. I was notified about my placement only two weeks before my departure. So don’t be impatient and trust the process, the organization is very likely to find a matching place for you.

Do not judge beforehand

I ended up living in Lincoln, Nebraska, which is a college town that has approximately 300 000 inhabitants and is located in the American Mid-West. At first, I wasn’t too keen on the fact that I had to live in a state that has more cows and sheep than people (especially when I am used to my hometown Vienna), but I knew that this was a temporary adventure and I should not have any previous judgments before even having left my hometown. This is one of the most important things that I’ve learned while being abroad: do not judge a situation or a person before you haven’t had an interaction or made your own experience.

Stepping out of comfort zones

Another crucial step to having a successful exchange, is to step out of your comfort zone and say “yes” to new things, new places, new foods, new ideas, new people, and so on. You can only live your life to the fullest if you get comfortable with the feeling of being uncomfortable.

Finding independence

The third lesson that I learned is that I am my best company. Of course, I was constantly surrounded by people like my host parents, host siblings, friends and teachers, but nobody could understand my situation or my feelings as good as I could. There is nothing wrong with trying frozen yogurt by yourself or going to a football game on your own. I started enjoying my own company throughout those 10 months and I still manage to entertain myself when no one is around. In my opinion, this is a major step when it comes to being independent.

Living the American Dream

So, what was life in the United States like? It is obviously not as glamorous as it is shown on TV, but it is close. The buildings and neighborhoods look exactly like those in the movies, there are huge outdoor malls with all kinds of shops and brands that we (sadly) don’t have in Europe, the school grounds are gigantic and include a pool, multiple gyms, a weight-lifting room, a track, a football field, a basketball and tennis court, an enormous parking lot and many floors with various classrooms. Schools also offered a wide variety of spare time activities, such as sports, theatre club, math club, debate club, and so on.

School life

I guarantee you that you will find something that matches your interests. And if not, you should not hesitate to try out new things. My biggest goal was to try as many new things as possible, so I signed up for sports clubs. During those 10 months I was part of the softball team, the girls’ basketball team, and the track and field team. I also attended math club, girls who code club, podcast club, youth church, and feminists for change club. These leisure activities were not only great for creating new Laryssa Weigert May 2024 experiences, but also for getting to know people and making new friends. To this day, I am still in touch with my closest friends from the United States.

Building bonds with host family

STS did a really good job matching us because we had the same interests and shared hobbies like travelling, exercising, watching shows, shopping, and reading books. My host dad had a big collection of board games, so every day we played a different game. My host mom loved sports, so we went on runs together and visited football, basketball, ice hockey, and baseball games. My host brothers enjoyed playing on their Nintendo Switch, so we did that together. I was very lucky that they were excited to introduce me to the American culture by traveling to different states, going to domestic shops, or trying new foods with me.

We grew together as a family, and I know that they are my second home. These people made my exchange year unforgettable, since we had countless moments of joy and laughter. I still have frequent contact with my host family and they are going to visit me this summer, so I can finally show them my favorite places in Vienna and teach them about the Austrian culture!

Exploring America

I don’t have a specific memory that I would consider my best, since there were a lot of moments that I will remember forever. For instance, my host parents took me on a road trip to Texas which was very different but so much fun. Just after thanksgiving, we decided to drive to Chicago for a few days and check out the coolest spots. In December, while we had -23°C in Lincoln, my host mom flew to Los Angeles with me, and we visited all the major sights and had a great time together. During spring break, we went on a road trip across the most famous and beautiful national parks in a camping van.

My friends and I also created amazing memories, like driving around town while blasting music, winning the relay race, or having sleepovers. To be honest, every day in the United States had something that made it unique and special.

Not only positive aspects

But my stay was not only filled with positive aspects: I had to switch schools after the first semester because I did not feel safe at my first one. Unfortunately, violence and drug abuse are common issues in American high schools. I contacted STS about my problems and the local coordinator immediately tried to find a solution, which would help me to improve my situation. Additionally, it was hard to find true friends that would meet up with me in their free time. People in the Midwest are considered to be very friendly and welcoming, which they are for sure, but they are also superficial, and it felt like everyone already had their set friend groups. After talking to a lot of my peers, I finally found a group of girls that welcomed me and constantly spent time with me. So don’t be afraid to speak up if you have troubles and talk to as many people as possible!

This is why you should go on an exchange

I definitely recommend going on exchange, since it did not only help me with improving my English skills and learning about the American culture, but also made me an independent person and it taught me many lessons that are beneficial for my future. Despite all the unfortunate things that happened, there was not a single day where I regretted my decision of leaving my hometown to study abroad. I still look back to all the fun memories I’ve created, all the lifelong relationships I’ve made and the experience I’ve gai ned. An exchange year is not only a year in one’s life, it’s a life in a year.

Find out more

• Read more student stories from the USA
• Read more about a high school exchange in the USA
• See all our high school exchange destinations