Today we hear from Jimena from Spain, who is spending her 2024-25 school year in the Michigan and loving every moment! Whether she’s competing in varsity volleyball, getting involved in school spirit, or building meaningful connections with her host family, Jimena is fully immersing herself in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. She’s embracing new challenges and making lifelong friendships along the way!
What motivated you to become an exchange student in America?
Since I was little, I loved watching videos of other girls doing their exchange years in America, and I wanted to experience that too. I’ve always liked English a lot, so I wanted to learn as much as I could.
Tell us about your life with your host family! What’s your favorite memory?
My life with my host family is really good! They take me to a lot of different places, and they even tried making some of my home country’s food to help me feel more at home. Right now, I’m on a trip with them to Disney World, which has been a dream of mine for a long time. I don’t think I can choose just one favorite memory because everything has been awesome.
Have you joined any clubs or sports?
During the first sports season, I was on the varsity volleyball team, and it was awesome! I made a lot of friends, and I had so much fun playing, going to practice, and hanging out with my teammates. For the spring season, I’m going to try out for the softball team. A couple of my friends are on the team, and they’re really excited for me to join them, and I’m excited too!
What do you enjoy most about American high school? Have you experienced any culture shock?
High school in America is a completely different experience from my home country. I love how involved everyone is in sports. The school spirit is amazing, and every teacher is always there to help. The dances are so much fun, and going to games with my friends is one of my favorite things to do. I haven’t had many culture shocks, but some things, like the class schedules, really surprised me at first.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about becoming an exchange student?
For anyone who’s thinking of becoming an exchange student, do it! It’s the best experience you’ll ever have. You’ll meet lots of amazing people and learn so much. It is true that you might feel like you want to go home sometimes or that you really miss your home country, but I can assure you those feelings will disappear quickly because you won’t have time to think about them with everything you’ll be doing during your exchange year.
Are you interested in making a student like Jimena a part of your family? We are looking for American host families to welcome a student for the upcoming 2025-26 school year! Check out the profiles of our wonderful students! New profiles go online every Thursday!
