What is an exchange year? What made you do an exchange year? Why come to Kentucky? These are just a few of the questions I get from a lot of people. I’m writing this piece to answer the questions and to tell something about exchange years. 

What is an exchange year exactly? Well, an exchange year is a year abroad. You can choose which country you want to go to. I went with the organization EF (Education First). 

Let me introduce myself first. Hi, I’m Solenn Tjin-a-Tsoi and I’m from the Netherlands. I’m 17 years old. I live in a small town called Kudelstaart in the Netherlands. I play soccer here at Bourbon County High School and I’m a senior. I am also the first foreign exchange student that has taken journalism! I am doing an exchange year in America because I love the USA and I wanted to explore more of the country. Also, I wanted to improve my English and live the “American Dream”. I am already graduated in the Netherlands, so this year is kind of a gap year for me because I didn’t know what to do after High School. I came to Kentucky because I got matched here. In the beginning of this adventure, before you come to America, you have to fill out an application about yourself and with that information EF matches you with a host family. You can always turn it down if you want, but my host family is absolutely the best. Being an exchange student is a change in your life. It will have a major impact on the rest of your life. I’m not going to lie, it is also hard sometimes; with missing your home country, family, and friends back home. But this year is something new. I can finally find myself and see what the world has to offer. Being an exchange student also means getting to start over. Making new friends, trying to fit in. I would definitely recommend to do an exchange year. You learn so much from it and you keep friends for life.