In 2010 I set off on my year. I was an exchange student in Japan and got to experience everything possible with a completely new culture, a new language and a new country.
I’m always so happy when exchange students choose the slightly unusual country, because I think you take so much away from it!
During my year I managed to go to a Japanese school festival and bathe in Japanese springs. I got to travel all over Japan and visit Nara, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where I saw the peace garden and the bombed-out dome. At school I got to try the tea ceremony and experience what life is like for young people on the other side of the planet.
To say that my exchange has had an effect on me would be an understatement. Five years have passed, but every day I notice how Japan has shaped me and how much I managed to grow in a single year. If you get the chance – take it!
Want to experience something completely different? It's free to register your interest. Read more about the one-year exchange.