庄涵（中国）
 庄涵是上海市进才中学的学生， 2011年8月参加AFS国际文化交流项目赴美国，2012年6月回国。
Dream Trip
In a blink of an eye, it’s time to go to U.S.A as an AFS exchange student; in another blink of an eye, feeling like the dream was suddenly being awoken, I’m back in Shanghai again with my natural parents and friends.
After the one year exchange, I got to know that happiness was transient. It’s much faster than you ever noticed.
Last year before I left for U.S.A, I was thinking how I’m going to survive without my family for 10 months? But right before I came back, I wish I could stay in my exchange country a little bit longer, 10 months is totally not enough!
Actually this year was the most fabulous year ever! I got the ability to live alone without hiding under the shields of parents; the chance to meet and build friendship with multi people; the right to learn advanced education concept from developed countries.
AFS: A multi-culture melting pot
We got almost 5 orientations in China before we started our magical independent year, so does in U.S.A. Some thing different is that the students are from 6 continents. It’s a great opportunity to meet them and to make friends with, discuss how to deal with the common host families’ problems with, learn different cultures from, and of course, have fun with!
AFS also will hold plenty of trips, such as the Belo east coast with other exchange programs; the Pendleton trip to enjoy the cool west bull tradition; the Ashland Shakespeare Festival…Exchange students, either from your native county or not, will attend. Many of us got the chance to know each other much better and become great friends!
America, known as is a huge melting pot, mixing different cultures together. However, I do consider AFS as a melting pot as well! We met and shared the life of exchange together. Not only the American culture we learned from, but also we know how others’ cultures like. Because we, the exchange students, came from all over the world!
American Education: Environmental, Openness, Pluralism
The differences between American schools and Chinese schools are vast.
In China when class is over, students just have to stay at their seats and wait for next teacher to come. So we don’t change classrooms and classmates. Teaches have a big office together. However, there, in the U.S, students have to pack up after every class and hurry to another classroom. Teachers have their own classroom as their office.
The first time I saw the U.S text books, I was shocked, since I’ve never had that thick hardcover books in China, and mine are only about 100 pages per book. In the U.S, students borrow books from teachers, and the text books never belong to you! They do reuse or return the books after the terminal. It was so environmental friendly and that was what we should learn from!
American’ studies not only based on paper works. Watch movies which were versioned of the novel, and do compare and contrast from the original novel; dissect fetal pigs and sharks to study their body structure; go to local court to better understand the basic law; further study French by attending the language festival raised by the university of Washington which need to drive three hours to get to… …
These kinds of open, pluralistic class made me realize that study could be so much interesting and close to my daily life.
Friendship: A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near
Social contact is very important during the exchange year. No one can live without friends. However, it can be a little hard during the first couple weeks, you might worry a lot. It’ll be awesome after all. Students and teachers will always be nice to you.
Being outgoing and amicable is so important in making friends. Not like most Chinese, Americans prefer not to be shy. Take initiative to offer a small afternoon tea party in the back yard or raise a competition in bowling is pretty common and usual during weekends, and of course will improve your profile and friendship.
Don’t limit your friends among your contemporary, teachers could also be friends. Teachers, as well as ordinary humans, are also curious about novel things. They do want to know you better since you are from a country different from theirs. So take the advantage, and have a small chat frequently with them after school, which will left them a profound impression on you, your country, and your culture!
“Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart from all over the world”, no matter who you are, where you from, or what color your skin is, when friendship comes, it comes!
The influence of AFS culture exchange, not only is the time that prepared before the exchange, nor the time during it, but the time after it, which will affect my entire future life. Maybe it won’t appear on the surface; maybe it won’t easily feel, but I can hardly hide the dream deeply inside my heart.
Reluctantly to the end, but, is this the end? No!
It’s just the beginning of my dream!
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