Just came home...

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Alli F. on June 22, 2011 at 3:12pm

Hey Parvina, this is a great discussion topic! What has your experience been like? I am from the US, but studied in Jordan last year, and remember how hard it was to leave. I missed my family and friends at home, but had made a new family in Amman and didn't want to say goodbye! I've been able to keep up with everyone through e-mail and Facebook since then, which makes it easier, but it did take some time to adjust to speaking in my native language, shopping at grocery stores, and going back to my own school. What will you miss and what are you looking forward to?

Permalink Reply by Alli F. on July 26, 2011 at 10:08am

What exchange program do you hope to go on? Good luck!

And it's strange how easy and difficult it can be to readjust. You fall back into old habits, at least in my experience, but also retain some things learned from your adopted exchange country. You're right, also, in that technology makes things much easier!

Permalink Reply by Parvina Tashbaeva on July 27, 2011 at 5:50am

I was ready to go home at any point: my mind was ready to say bye and everything fit in my suitcase. Also, I was flying not alone, but with my Tajiks friends, another students. It was fun to share experience in the plane, we had a really good time and I even kinda forgot about all my problems. So when I came home, I was tired and did not care about being sad or anything, because I had 6 flights! I slept for the whooole day. But after, I started to miss everything. When I went to our crowded markets, I was remembering Walmart or Target, when I was riding in a packed transportation, I was missing that nice car my host mom had. And mostly, I missed American people, who were always with me in US, who helped me to have an unforgettable experience. Facebook helped me to communicate with them, I made a promise to myself to visit them some day and instead of being sad, I started to educate myself, because only education will give me chance to see those people again. After 1 week I was just happy for being home, I didn't feel empty or something, my cultural shock has passed:))) Life never stops, now I have other goals I need to accomplish!:))

Permalink Reply by Arafat Mohammed Rajeh al-maqtary on August 5, 2011 at 7:36pm

well, i know that it is hard to leave your parents,frieends and family but we should think by our minds not by hearts.For example if they give me the choice to choose between my country which is Yemen and U.S.A i would totally live in U.S and study there because the dtandered of teaching is more developed than Yemen but it seems like i will ever have this chance

Permalink Reply by Maria Diminet on August 10, 2011 at 7:21am

Hello! I'm from the Republic of Moldova, and I've had my exchange experience in Iowa, USA. It was a great year, maybe the best year of my life. It changed my personality and I gained some life experience. But it flew so fast, that I didn't realize I already have to leave this awesome country. First day at home I experienced a cultural shock, going in a public bathroom, grocery store and saying all the time sorry, and people looking at me like crazy. I surpassed it with the help of my parents, friends and relatives, that surround me with love and attention, that helped me to come back to the normal rithm of life in Moldova. But I miss and I will never forget the people I've met in US. Fb and Skype help me to keep in touch with them and I hope I'm going to visit them again at some point of time. The only thing that I am sure of: this year was decissive in setting my goals for the future and creating my personality. Thank you, FLEX,World Link, and all great people I've met this year!!!!