Index

Adams, Scott, 11

air travel, 27

assimilation

  • expectations regarding, 7
  • into society, 35
  • reasons for, 33

Australia, 2, 18, 27, 29, 31, 35, 41, 42, 44, 60, 67

bank account

  • closing before departure, 75
  • opening, 31

bike riding, 28, 29

biological family

  • scheduled catch-up time, 39
  • visits from, 40

boredom, overcoming, 70

bucket list, end of exchange, 76

Canada, 29, 31, 42

Churchill, Winston, 16

Coca-Cola, 71

comfort foods, 68

conversation, starting, 43

culture shock, overcoming, 67

departure, preparations for, 2

exchange organisation, policies of, 19

exchangestudenttips.com, 90

Finnish, 72

friends, seeking support from, 63

General Motors, 71

goals

  • during your exchange, 11
  • post-exchange, 14

Google, 71

hobbies

  • establishing new, 41
  • existing, 41

homesickness, 15, 33

  • caused by visiting family, 40
  • overcoming, 63
  • returning home because of, 11
  • seeking out biological family as response to, 39

host country

  • absorbing the culture of, 38
  • arrival in, 27
  • emigrating to, 85
  • returning to, 85
  • social conventions in, 36
  • use of humour in, 37

host family

  • abusive, 11
  • adopting habits of, 89
  • as source of support, 8
  • assimilation into, 34
  • being honest with, 51
  • changing, 15
  • death in, 57
  • doing chores for, 12
  • establishing good relations with, 2
  • establishing relationships with, 8, 12
  • expectations regarding, 8
  • farewelling, 76
  • fitting in with, 34, 50
  • fixing mistakes towards, 52
  • general behaviour around, 49
  • getting to know, 27
  • gift giving, 12
  • house rules of, 28
  • incongruent personal habits, 53
  • leaving bad, 19
  • living arrangements, 27
  • meeting, 27
  • meeting acquaintances of, 12
  • personal space of, 34
  • physical or sexual abuse in, 56
  • post-exchange contact, 87
  • problem solving, 52
  • providing feedback on, 76
  • punctuality of, 34
  • receiving first aid from, 17
  • respectful behaviour towards, 8
  • re-visiting after exchange, 85, 87
  • routines of, 50, 53
  • seeking support from, 63
  • spending time with, 12
  • tidiness of, 34
  • unlawful conduct of, 56
  • visiting you, 87

host parents

  • divorcing or separating, 55
  • irritated, 52
  • romantic interest from, 55

host siblings

  • borrowing your possessions, 53
  • conflict with, 54
  • distressed, 54
  • falling in love with, 85
  • irritated, 52
  • jealous, 52
  • relationships with, 49
  • romantic interest from, 55

Italy, 36

jetlag, minimising, 27

Langenscheidt, 22

language

  • acquiring fluency in, 13
  • courses before departure, 21
  • courses in your host country, 22
  • face-to-face tuition, 22
  • grammar, 23
  • internet research regarding structure, 21
  • learning from books, 22
  • learning through conversation, 22
  • learning through mass media, 22
  • lessons on YouTube, 21
  • maintaining skills after exchange, 88
  • tutoring or teaching post-exchange, 88

Lincoln, Abraham, 49

Mandarin, 72

money, dealing with a lack of, 69

Netherlands, 30

New Zealand, 67

other exchange students

  • benefits of spending time with, 41
  • friendships post-exchange, 89
  • returning home, 15
  • risk of spending too much time with, 41
  • seeking support from, 63
  • visiting after your exchange, 89

overeating, how to stop, 68

passport, lost, 18, 75

personal safety, 30

positive behaviour, 59

  • achieving goals, 62
  • avoiding negative behaviour, 59
  • changing things making you unhappy, 60
  • focusing on positives of exchange, 60
  • getting more sunlight, 61
  • helping others, 62
  • lifestyle changes, 60
  • rewarding yourself, 62
  • worry journal as a means to, 61

prescription medicines, 17

Quora, 90

Reddit, 90

reputation, establishing, 12

return home

  • overcoming a desire to, 65
  • what to expect, 81

reverse homesickness

  • symptoms of, 83
  • treating, 83

risk management, 17

  • country-specific risks, 18
  • environmental hazards, 31
  • financial risks, 18
  • fraud, 31
  • loss of travel documents, 18
  • medical risks, 17
  • personal safety in host country, 30
  • public transport, 29
  • xenophobia, 29

Rotary, 9, 36, 76

school

  • changing enrolled subjects, 45
  • classmates, helping, 44
  • classmates, maintaining conversation with, 43
  • classmates, resetting relationship with, 45
  • classmates, unwanted attention from, 45
  • co-curricular activities, 38
  • events, risk of misbehaviour at, 46
  • expectations regarding, 8
  • extracurricular activities at, 44
  • finishing up, 75
  • fitting in at, 38
  • forming friendships at, 38
  • monotony of, 43

sobriety, 13, 30, 73

social media

  • addiction, 16
  • limiting time on, 39, 71
  • separate accounts for host country, 41
  • strategies for using less of, 40

Strava, 41, 69

student exchange

  • benefits of, 1
  • finishing, 11
  • highs and lows associated with, 15
  • risks associated with, 1, 29

Sweden, 30, 36, 89

Switzerland, 2, 1, 21, 23, 31, 35, 36, 41, 60, 71

travel insurance, 18

travel, expectations regarding, 9

university exchange, 85

USA, 67

vaccinations, 17

Vitamin D, 61

weight training, 69

worry journal, 11

xenophobia, 29, 70

YouTube, 21