by | Maja Twerenbold
Staff Reporter
In August 2023, I said goodbye to my life in Switzerland and moved to the US on my own.
I am a foreign exchange student from Switzerland and started at MacArthur High School this semester. Even though the first few weeks in the US were very stressful, it was the best decision I have ever made in my life. In a very short amount of time, I have experienced and learned more than I could have ever imagined.
I have been studying at an American school for six months, first in Dallas and now in San Antonio. Over the next few weeks I will write about the differences, similarities, and overall impressions of living in the USA. As someone that grew up always admiring American high schools I think it is only right of me to use this knowledge and the experiences to write, compare, and tell others what I see and think.
Many Americans don’t realize how significant the influence of American culture and lifestyle is on young people in Europe. Not only through social media, but also through movies, and books. They all describe this ideal “American life” that everyone wants to experience. So it is very exciting to be able to actually live in the “real” America for myself.
I often get asked about the differences between the US and Switzerland, and the only right answer to that is “everything”. That’s why I will elaborate on different aspects of everyday life here, that may seem very normal to Americans, but are surprising to non-americans. This includes school, people in general, family, friends, and more.
