遠景安美國高中交換學生 -新竹高商 - 楊芷芸

unforgettable journey！

紐約州 - Clarence High School

unforgettable journey more than anything！

It has been so lucky of me to go to America as an exchange student. Study abroad is always my dream, but I never expected I will really do this, all by myself, for a year. It’s pretty brave of me to left my family, friends, and all the things behind me and decide to be an exchange student. It’s tough, because I have homesick while staying there, I cried in the bathtub while showering, I think of them in the middle of night. However, that is just part of your must-overcome task of being there. It will all be fine eventually.

Clarence High school have tons of activities going around. The first activity I attend is “powderpuff”, it’s a football game between girls from junior and senior classes. I get to know so many friends because of this game. There is about 100 girls for each junior and senior joining this game. Despise the official players the rest of us are just chilling around and cheering for them. That’s how this activity are the perfect opportunity to know new friends.

The next upcoming activity is homecoming. We can dress like different character during this spiritual week. For example, we wear something like a solider to support them on troops Tuesday and wear all sorts of plaid shirt like a cowboy on western Wednesday. It’s very different that American school organizes their events like this. In Taiwan, we focus on study for most of the time, plus we didn’t have a lot of holiday to celebrate either.

America have a very free sprits in teaching. The teacher make the class interesting, and put all their effort and determination in their teaching career, that’s why we’re dying to learn new information. High school in Taiwan should take the goods and use it as ours.

My host family is very proud of their State, and knowing of my desire to explore and learn, showed me many of the cultural and scenic attractions. They took me to Niagara Falls, located nearby. It was magnificent. The beauty of the mighty falls sent shivers through me when we went under them in the “Maid of the Mist”. Their awe-inspiring power overwhelmed me. I couldn’t stop staring and I felt like there was just me and the falls, no one else could interfere. Next, we experienced the colorful and fragrant leaves of Fall at Letchworth State Park. As I walked through the pathways with fallen leaves, I experienced the crunching of the leaves like chewing crackers with my feet.

This year, Buffalo experienced an unusually early snowstorm. Schools were closed for a week. I learned to bake cookies, and built a super cute snowman with my host mother. The first time I saw snow, I jumped out of bed with excitement and ran outside to feel it. I held a handful of cold, soft, and wonderful snow. The shinning snowflakes in my hand looked like stars, and reminded me of the sparkling sands in Taiwan.

In America there are many special holidays. On Thanksgiving, families eat turkey and stuffing, celebrating thanks, but my favorite holiday is Christmas. I loved decorating the tree, putting up the lights, and filling our home with the “holiday spirit”. The best part was giving gifts to friends and family, and seeing the smiles of joy. And I can’t wait to experience more holidays.

Of course, the most important part of the exchange year is my education. Clarence High School is one of the best in the State. My teachers are helpful and caring. Being an exchange student is more challenging because of the translation from Chinese to English. Even the subjects that are easy for me at home are harder here because of the language. As my English gets better, my understanding becomes better.

What has never been hard for me is the friendships that I have made. From my first day on the school bus, to playing Powder-Puff football, to Trick or Treating on Halloween, and to Homecoming dances, I have made many friends that have influenced my life. I will always remember them.

Thanks for my parents to give me this chance to challenge myself, and give me all those support while I were there. This is a very precious, incredible exchange year that I’ll never forget and I’ll remember this unforgettable journey more than anything.

美國ASSE國際高中交換學生機構      台灣代表

遠 景 安 國 際 教 育 交 流 顧 問 有 限 公 司

電話：(02) 2729-4656        傳真：(02) 2729-4551

網址：www.bfi.com.tw      電郵：bf@bfi.com.tw

地址：台 北 市 信 義 區 基隆路二段13號5樓