NWSE Blog
Understanding Reverse Culture Shock
The school year is coming to an end, which means that you and other NWSE exchange students in the U.S. and around the world are preparing for your journeys home. It’s difficult to know what to expect at the end of an exchange program. Like most exchange students, you are probably thinking about the homemade meal you have been craving, or about … Read More
Stellar Student of the Month: Emilia from Germany
Emilia from Germany has been an outstanding addition to her host family, school, and community in the U.S. Thank you, Emilia, for all of your efforts! What surprised you most when you came to the U.S.? I heard that school was going to be different, but it was totally different. In Germany, I’m used to having one class with the same … Read More
Stories from an Exchange to Japan
Student exchange goes both ways! NWSE not only brings high school students from other countries to exchange in America, but also sends American students overseas. Chris, a high school student from Seattle, Washington, had an amazing time exchange the past nine months with his host family in Osaka, Japan. Chris took a moment to share his experience with us, as well as … Read More
Stellar Student of the Month: Kasia from Poland
We are honored to have so many stellar students in our program every year – they are the reason we do what we do! This month, we would like to introduce Kasia from Poland, who has enriched her host community in Idaho with her zest for life and contagious positive attitude. Congratulations, Kasia, and thank you for being so stellar! … Read More
Stellar Student of the Month: Leonie from Germany
We received so many amazing April nominations for Stellar Student of the Month, we couldn’t choose just one! This month, we would also like to introduce Leonie from Germany, who has been a rock star in the classroom and has brightened the lives of her host community in Texas. Danke schön, Leonie! What surprised you most when you came to … Read More
Sara Swimming Laps around the World
Recently recognized as “Athlete of the Week” by her local newspaper in North Carolina, exchange student Sara from Spain has had an awesome swim season! She has won individual titles in the 100 meter individual medley as well as 100 meter breaststroke, and also helped claim a victory with her freestyle relay team. Sara has had an amazing student exchange … Read More
A Brief History of the English Language
Many English speakers believe that English is a Romance language. After all, many English words come from Latin. However, English is actually a West Germanic language. It is much more closely related to modern German than it is to French! To understand why, we will delve into the history of English. Britain was once inhabited by numerous Celtic tribes, but … Read More
The History of International Student Exchange
According to the 2016 Open Doors Report from the Institute of International Education, over one million exchange students were enrolled in American universities and schools during the 2015-16 school year. And this number continues to grow. There’s no doubt that international exchange is an established tradition in the U.S.—but how did it all begin? International student exchange was largely catalyzed … Read More
Adjusting to U.S. Schools: A Student Essay
My name is Justine, and I am from a small, beautiful city in France. I will be spending a whole year in the U.S. I live in a host family because I came alone. I decided to come to the U.S. because I wanted to follow my sister, who did an exchange a few years ago and now works in … Read More
The Benefits of Learning a Second Language
Here’s a common situation in the U.S.: as a high school student, you have to take a foreign language to meet your school’s requirements for graduation. You decide to take Spanish for the minimum two years, you have some fun, and then you move on to other things. But why should you stick with it and commit to mastering another … Read More
New Year’s Around the World
2017 is almost over and many people are getting ready for the new year. Here are some of the ways people celebrate the New Year around the world! U.S.A. In Times Square, New York City, a giant crystal ball descends down a 140-foot flagpole at the top of the One Times Square building, stopping exactly at midnight. At that moment, … Read More
Christmas Explained
It’s December, and that means it’s the holiday season in the United States! The holiday season can mean different things to different people and communities across the country. While some Americans prefer to celebrate the winter season in general or nothing at all, December brings several important cultural holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Regardless of what you celebrate this … Read More
Five Unique Aspects of American Culture
People traveling to the U.S. often come with an idea of what American life and culture is like, based on what they see in movies and TV shows. One might imagine skyscrapers, bustling city streets, and road trips down Route 66. But how do these ideas measure up to reality? 1. The U.S. is big Travelers from other countries, especially Europe, … Read More
Can language change the way we think?
Have you ever been sitting in your language class and wondering why some words in your native language cannot be directly translated to the language that you are learning? Why does it seem that one language represents the same idea differently than another? Linguists throughout history have been interested in this very question. Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf studied … Read More
NWSE Pumpkin Contest Announcement!
NWSE Pumpkin Carving Contest Winners! The first place winner of the NWSE Pumpkin Carving Contest is Marin from Japan! We had a tie for second place: Tim from Germany and Alizee from France. So many of you submitted amazing pumpkins this year! We decided to give two prizes to the two students who got the next highest votes. Those … Read More