Eric's exchange year in Minnesota

My journey and my exchange year actually began long before I said "goodbye" to Sweden and boarded the plane to the USA. There were meetings with Rotary, gatherings with foreign students in Nyköping and a lot of thoughts both for and against – but curiosity and the fun stories defeated my doubts.

Departure from Arlanda

When I’d arrived at Arlanda the day before my departure for Moorhead, Minnesota, I was very nervous. It was hard to grasp that I was only a few hours away from leaving my country, my family, my friends and my life behind. But when I saw all the other young people who were also going on an exchange year, I no longer felt alone. It was reassuring to know there were others facing an equally big challenge and at least as nervous as me.

Moorhead High

The school I attended was called Moorhead Senior High School and was the largest public school in Moorhead, with around 2,000 students from grade 9 to 12. It was one of the most welcoming schools I’ve experienced. Both staff and students were very interested in what I had to say and encouraged me to take part in various fun and social activities. The school looked like most American schools shown in films and TV series: photos of the school’s many athletes along the long brick corridors, halls full of lockers and an American flag in every classroom.

Jean Hanning

From my very first visit to my Rotary club, I felt welcome. The district’s youth officer, Jean Hanning, was my greatest source of security during the exchange year – the one I would contact if any problem arose. Jean was strict on matters concerning Rotary’s rules, but at the same time a very humble and helpful person. She never missed any of my school activities where I appeared on stage or on the football field, and it was always she who applauded the loudest. I have only warm thoughts about Jean and about all the Rotarians in my Moorhead Rotary club.

Rotary USA

Moorhead Rotary club and its members were absolutely lovely. It was always just as much fun to go to the lunch meetings to sing and listen to the presentations. They called themselves a “singing club” and always opened with three songs: the national anthem, a prayer to bless the club and an optional song from the songbook. The meetings ended with “happy dollar” – you donated a dollar to the club and told something happy that had happened in your life, to spread joy in the world.

Together with the twelve other exchange students, I went on many trips that Rotary had organised. The longest went all the way to Canada, a good 15 hours by car – but it was well worth it.

Host families

I had three host families during my year in Minnesota. The first two had close ties to the well-known Concordia College, where the parents worked and the children studied. My last family, whom I became very close friends with, lived in the countryside in a small community. It happened by chance – my planned third family moved to another state, and then a club member contacted the family of one of my friends, who took me in in Sabin, about ten kilometres from Moorhead.

It became my best time of the whole year. Everyone in the family was close, they loved to fish, hunt, travel and watch sports games. When they planned their annual summer trip, I got to choose both the time and the destination. Absolutely fantastic people – I’ll never forget them. After I’d gone home, the family contacted Rotary to say they’d love to host an exchange student again!

Prom

Prom at the American school was perhaps the most unforgettable part of my year. First asking a friend to be your date, ordering a tuxedo, being photographed by a professional photographer, eating a celebratory dinner – and then a whole day of dancing and fun activities. There are no words that fully describe Prom. It has to be experienced!

Speech

All extracurricular activities are organised by the school. You could choose among at least ten different sports, music, theatre and more. I was on the school’s American football team, played baseball and took part in the school’s speech team – a club where you analysed and interpreted famous speeches and then performed them in competition before a jury. Our team was one of the best in the state, and in the end the jury didn’t even have a clue that I was Swedish. I’m incredibly grateful to my teachers, who worked hard to polish my American English.

Trips and Yellowstone

After school ended, all exchange students could buy a trip to the west or east coast. I chose the west coast: about 50 students in two buses, from Los Angeles via San Francisco, Las Vegas, Santa Barbara and the Grand Canyon. Visiting all these places together with young people from 20 different countries was a highlight.

Then it was time to go with the host family to Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park. These are places you mostly see on TV, but seeing them for real is a completely different experience. First we saw a lone bison, then a herd of several hundred just wandering around – it was like another planet. We also saw a black bear cub playing in the forest. If I could only choose one trip, it would definitely be Yellowstone.

The journey home

On 18 July I started packing my bags for the journey home. Of course I wanted to see my parents and friends again, but it was melancholy to leave a place that had been my home for almost a year. I’m so grateful to Rotary for giving me the chance to travel to the other side of the globe, live with completely unknown families, attend a school of 2,000 students who all speak another language – and still feel welcome, safe and cared for. My exchange year remains one of the best memories for life. I want more young people to make a journey like this!