Viewer's Q&A | All Things Exchange Year & Study Abroad Experience | Exchange Student Tips & Advice

Hey guys,

today, I am finally coming to you with my viewer#s Q&A all about my time as an exchange student and all things study abroad. So many lovely people have come to this channel to support me and to hear more about my experience. But this channel would be absolutely nothing without you and I am trying to help as many exchange students and host families out by giving my tips and advice on all things study abroad. So, in today's video I have compiled all of the questions my lovely viewers had for me and am answering them to the best of my ability.
I have really enjoyed filming this video and I absolutely love interacting with you guys, so I would love to make a part two of this video. So if you have any sort of questions, please leave them down in the description box below and you will be featured in my next viewers' Q&A.
As always lots of love,

Laura

PS: I realize that my language skills aren't the best in this video and that there are some light changes but I hope you can forgive me and enjoy this exchange student Q&A regardless.

[joecaccamise]

First let me just say your obviously a incredibly nice person, your host parents were very lucky. As a former host dad in Virginia who still enjoys following the exchange program it upsets me to hear when a student has a bad experience. For that I am sorry for the couple of uncomfortable situations that you experienced.
Having said that I hope someday you are able to return to the United States and visit a few of the national parks in the west and west coast.
If your inclined to do a second video regarding exchange experiences I would like to know if you experienced "reverse culture shock" upon your return back home.
As always thank you for your informative and entertaining exchange videos. Looking forward to the next one. Tschuss

[iitsandjela]

I've just checked your chanell earlier today. I can't wait to watch this!!

[infantryshooter]

Thanks you, dear! It is so wonderful that you make these videos. Prospective host families and exchange students really would benefit from your voice of experience; anyone interested really should watch your videos!

When I was in Germany, it seemed that most young Germans who learned English, learned British English, as many of the teachers learned in the UK, or were UK expats, at least that's what I had heard. Did you learn American English or British English? If you learned British English, did it cause any confusion while you were here? (Gas vs petrol, car hood vs bonnet, fries vs chips, etc...)

Now, a serious question regarding WWII. As an Army infantry veteran, I have studied military history, mostly from an operational, strategic or tactical point of view. The politics of war were kind of glossed over in high school, not very in depth as one might hope. As you can imagine, I have an extensive WWII book and movie collection. How do I handle WWII with a modern German teenager? What do they teach teens there about that war?

I will tell you that I was in a Pershing tactical nuke unit in Neu Ulm. I had no clue about what that reality actually meant. I learned about humanity one day in Trier. Our unit had gone to the field, and we were on the edge of the city. Several of us were doing a public relations patrol, meaning that we should go out and engage with the locals in Trier. We were walking thru a neighborhood, and some men were outside. They expressed some curiosity, so we stopped and talked for awhile. The oldest man, Opa, had been in the infantry in WWI. His son was in the Kreigsmarine in WWII. I asked what he did in the navy, and he said " I killed people". I was completely floored. He had been an executive officer (2nd in command) on a U-boat. It was then that I realized what that would mean for me if we went to war with the USSR. Technically, my job was field security for the Pershing nuclear warheads; just thank God there was no war then, because none of us would be here! I can still hear him, 36 years later, a voice filled with regret. I grew up a lot that day from one little sentence. (Yes, many of us were soldiers *before* we became men.) For the two years I spent in Germany, that moment was worth any personal hardship. All of this, of course, is just to say that there is always something to learn, if only one will listen, but one must get out there and take a chance. I wish only the best for all those brave kids who want to step out via an exchange student program.

Update: we sold our house, and have been moving things to the new house. Lots of painting and cleaning to do, and other chores, but going well. I discussed this topic with my wife and she is supportive of the idea, and our 6 year old daughter is thrilled at the prospect of having a German girl in the house. 😎 The school our daughter attends has a program where an organization pays the private tuition there, and the school has hosted many students over the years. 😀 And the Head of School is an Army veteran and a self described 'Germanophile', so there is plenty of support for this there too! So yeah, next August...

Thanks for your videos, they are so very helpful, I really appreciate the effort you put into making these.

My best regards,
Ken.

[mayaa]

can you share what subject they will take in american high school?

[immygibsoni]

this video was so helpful! I was also wondering if there were any skills or facts that were necessary to learn in preparation for your exchange to the US (like US history, the capital cities etc)? and i was also hoping to get your opinion on whether you think the shorter exchanges that go for 3-6 months are worth it or if you think the full year is better?

[listen.and.chill.]

what is like being hijabi girl in american school am i going to be bullied?

[badujabar]

Schools are locally funded( your school was not well funded).
A lot High schools & Colleges around the country are as portrayed in movies (with State of art facilities).
Please forgive that idiot, he probably spoke out of ignorance .
Q : A lot of visitors are shocked by the diversity of the people in the USA ; were you? Did you experience American diversity? Were you aware of it before your adventure ?