Talk: Lessons learned at the Pre-Departure Orientation

So, on Sunday I had my AFS pre-departure orientation from 10am-4pm.  I was expecting the day to drag on, but it really wasn't too bad. I tend to research A TON about exchange orientations and just about everything involving exchange students, so there was not exactly anything new that I learned.  But it was cool because two AFS students studying in the US were there to answer all of the questions that we had.

Here are some of the advice that the students gave us:

1. Communication is probably the most important thing! If there is ever a problem with your host family, just try talking to them.  A lot of issues arise due to a lack of communication.

2. Don't be afraid to make mistakes! Because most people on exchange are learning a new language and trying to communicate in it, it is inevitable that you are going to make mistakes.  People may not understand what you are trying to say, but don't give up! If you don't try, you're never going to get better.

3. Get involved! The exchange student from Tunisia told us that she only watched TV two ties throughout her exchange.  She became involved in as many clubs as she could, and that helped her to make a lot of new friends.  Plus, by staying busy, you are less likely to be really homesick.

These are the things that I think will be the most helpful for my exchange.  I hope that this advice can help you guys out too! :)

To tie in with the theme of communication, here is the song "Talk" by Coldplay (one of my favorite bands). Enjoy!