Today we hear from Elsa from Sweden, who spent her 2023–24 school year in Arizona. While her exchange year brought new experiences, growth, and unforgettable moments, it was the connections she made that truly defined her time abroad, leaving a lasting impact on both her and the people she met along the way. From her host family to the friendships she built at school, Elsa’s story is a reminder that exchange isn’t just about where you go, but about the lives you touch and the ones that stay with you long after goodbye!
About two years ago, I returned home from my exchange year. To say the least, my time in the U.S made a lasting impact on my life. Many exchange students, as well as the organizations that made it all possible, emphasize the growth and experiences gained during the program. While I won’t contradict its importance, I’d like to share what I personally find most valuable: the connections I made.
Only a short car ride from Phoenix, in the Valley of the Sun, lay the small suburban town that, for a school year, became my home. Despite being able to confidently claim that my exchange year must have been one of, if not the very best, the start to it was anything but smooth. Culture shock hit me hard, and I longed for home more than anything. The best tip I have is simple: power through it.
It felt like I’d been uprooted and planted somewhere new, and similarly to a cutting, I needed to set new roots in order to thrive. Luckily, I had my wonderful host mom, Nicole, to help me adjust. I think it helped a great deal that, as a family, we matched on many levels.
Yet what truly helped me make the best of my year was meeting my best friend, Bella. We met on my first high school day during ceramics class. Being nervous definitely made me way shyer than usual, so I’m grateful for her simple question about whether the seat next to me was free and where my “cute jeans” were from. Quickly, we bonded over many shared interests, most significantly our shared love for travel.
The funny thing about entering an American high school senior year is that everyone is trying to make the most of the school year before leaving, just as I was. Bella and I set out to do most of it together. What started as shared rides to group hangouts, coffee runs, and double dates soon turned into weekly dinners cooked together for her family, showing off Swedish cuisine. I also spent time at the community pool during her lifeguarding shifts and doing each other’s nails while chatting with “Nana”, Bella’s grandmother, about our various adventures.
Having such a close friend during this time also rewarded me with what felt like a second host family. With my host mom’s blessing, I actually got to join Bella’s family for a couple of life-changing trips around the state of Arizona. We watched sunsets stretch and illuminate the sky in a way it only does out in the desert, and we blasted old country music while off-roading in a Jeep.
She also eventually joined outings with my host family, where we cliff-jumped into waterfalls or went all out dressing up for the Renaissance fair. In many ways, she might have gotten as much out of my exchange year as I did.
But the very best part is that it didn’t end when I went home. Leaving was, in many ways, just as rough as my initial arrival. It was homesickness in a way, except not for a house but for the person who, in less than a year, became your best friend. Still, as she enrolled in college and I went to finish my Swedish high school education, we started our habit of video-logging, or “vlogging,” every thought or event so we could continue to share our lives.
Back in Sweden, the influence of my year abroad also showed when my family decided to host a student from the U.S. Being a host sister allowed me to continue searching for unique and fun cultural experiences, just this time in my hometown of Stockholm. Having an exchange student, and being one, does, in my opinion, help you live life to the fullest.
In 2024, after celebrating Christmas Eve with my family, I got on a plane and arrived back in Phoenix. I celebrated Christmas Day as well as the New Year with Bella and her family. During both this visit and my second visit for Halloween in 2025, I got to meet up with friends and my host family and experience college student life, something I’d never imagined I’d get the chance to do.
In Sweden, graduation is vastly different from the American one. Despite higher education and university being common for Scandinavians, graduation day and its celebrations are much more about the freedom of becoming an adult. Graduates all wear sailor hats and dress in white. Of course, my dear best friend couldn’t miss the opportunity to witness this Swedish cultural moment, so Bella came to visit me for the first time at my Swedish graduation.
Going full circle, Bella’s month-long visit mirrored my exchange year in many ways. She got to know my family and friends, we sang plenty of car karaoke, and we went on many adventures. I believe without a doubt that our friendship, while intercontinental, will last a lifetime. This means that the best part of my exchange year, our personal exchange, will never end.
Are you interested in making a student like Elsa a part of your family? We are looking for American host families to welcome a student for the upcoming 2026-27 school year. Check out the profiles of our wonderful students. New student profiles go online every Thursday!
