I got my placement when I was going home from my volleyball practice, and it will forever be one of those moments I’ll never forget. I think every exchange student has that. Kate, from my agency, Studovatvusa, told me that I would be living right outside of Houston, with two older, super sweet ladies. The town where I’m at may be a suburb, but has so much to offer, especially all the typical American stores and restaurants. My favourite thing about my placement however, is that we live right on Lake Conroe, which has been a rewarding escape during the hot Texas summer, and a fun, new experience, getting to learn wake surfing, or just tubing with my friends! Actually, my favorite thing is that we can go to Starbucks in just five minutes on a paddle board or kayak!
High school here is very different, in Prague, I go to a small gymnasium, or college prep school, whereas my high school here is a 5A school with almost two thousand students! The hallways are always really crowded, like the Prague subway after a concert ends! I have a combination of subjects, some are more challenging, like AP Calculus, and some are more for me, for fun, like floral design. The best part was that I could choose my subjects however I wanted, but it does get a bit repetitive sometimes, as I have the same eight subjects every day. What pushed me out of my comfort zone the most though, is that you have every class with different people, so I really had to unlock every bit of confidence I had in me, and become the most extraverted version of myself.
Studovatvusa is like a love brand, it’s not just an agency, it’s a true community, that is ALWAYS there for you. Before I went on an exchange year, we were prepared so well, I could only truly appreciate it once I met exchange students from other agencies, and knowledge that I had considered obvious, was completely unknown to them. But for me, the main reason I love Studovatvusa is because of the people, not only are you always met with kindness, but your enthusiasm and energy is met with appreciation and is reciprocated, and they motivate you to do things you wouldn’t even comprehend before. Studovatvusa is definitely not just an agency, it has become my safe place and my biggest source of inspiration.
My day starts very early, I have to wake up at around 5:30, but when i had the cross country season, I woke up at around 4:45. School starts at 7:20 and ends at 14:40, but with after school practice I finish at four. After school, my friend drives me home and I like to stop at Dutch Bros or Starbucks. I usually hang out with my host family, or do something with my friends, or ride the horses. During the football season, we went to football games every Friday, which was always the highlight of the week! Now, we have basketball games at school, and in spring there’ll be soccer, so there’s always something going on!
I have two host moms, and they are truly the sweetest and most laid back. It is a rather unusual placement, and often, parents in the US tend to be more strict, so this just highlights how diverse and unique host families can be! I honestly live to eat, and we share a passion for great food, so I’ve had food from all over the world, right here, in Montgomery. But it’s not just my host moms that are involved in the exchange program, it’s also their son and daughter-in-law who host, so I have my exchange student friends right in the family.
For me personally, homesickness comes in waves, because in general, I’m pretty independent and I’ve moved to a different country before, but the hardest part was the culture shock in general. The lifestyle I live here is diametrically opposite to the one I live in Czech Republic, and from time to time, I really miss Prague and everything I can do there. So, to help with homesickness, I try to lock in here, do stuff that I wouldn’t be able to in Prague, and of course, it gets much better with time. Honestly, right now I think that I’ve reached the point where I slightly dread going back:D. Making friends was a pretty fun part for me, I was my most extroverted self on the first day of school and I think it payed off! It can be difficult though, because good relationships take time to develop and they’re a lot of effort, but I love networking and meeting new people. I’ve formed some really strong friendships with other exchange students at my school, not only because our families are close and we live close by, but because we bond over something so unique, that only other exchange students can really understand, which is being in a completely different country and culture, on your own, or at least, in the beginning.
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