Study in United States
Are you ready to experience something magnificent? Then you will love living in the US as an exchange student! Everyone falls in love with the extraordinary country – and for many it becomes true love!
The United States is an amazing mix of many different cultures, peoples and people who have traveled there from all over the world. The Americans meet you with open arms and will quickly make you feel welcome. Common to them is the clear pride in their country, family and territory. That makes the country a very special place to be. When you are on an exchange, you meet interesting people and subcultures that will inspire you for the rest of your life.
Nature and cities will surely impress you too! If you take a walk in the mountains, swamps or desert, you will get up close to the wildest, raw nature, and the country’s beautiful beaches, magnificent waterfalls and lakes will also make you fall into spells. The American cities can be huge metropolises or small villages with local distinctiveness and different habits. According to Countryaah.com, United States is one of the three countries in North America.
As an exchange student in the United States, you will experience a loving host family, a very friendly and welcoming culture and you will make new, wonderful friends! You also experience that the family, home life and your high school take up a lot of space in everyday life. No matter where in the United States you come to live, you will discover the little things that make just your area an exciting and unique place to be.
- CAPITAL CITY: Washington, DC
- LANGUAGE: English
- CURRENCY: United States dollar (USD)
- AREA: 9,833,517 km2
- POPULATION: 324,045,364 (2016 estimate)
People and community
When you are on an exchange in the United States, you may end up living anywhere, but most AFSs will end up living in suburbs or small towns. There is no “typical” American host family, as the mix of ethnicities is large. House rules, routines and meal times can vary greatly from family to family, so it’s good to have an open mind when moving into an American family. In general, teens are expected to help with cooking and other duties. The main meal is the evening meal, although family members sometimes eat at different times due to busy work and school schedules. It is also not uncommon for dinner not to be homemade but to be ordered from outside.
Schooling
School procedures, schedules and compulsory subjects vary greatly from school to school. The school year begins in August or September and lasts until May or June. The days usually last from eight in the morning to three in the afternoon. At the beginning of the school year, students meet with a counselor to help them choose subjects. In most public schools, students are not required to wear a uniform.
Language
English is the primary language in the United States, but many in the population also speak Spanish or another language. It depends a lot on their family background. If you want to come to the United States, it is a requirement that you know the English language. As an exchange student, you will definitely improve your language skills and get a really good English.
Food
From burgers to grilled chicken, from pizza to pasta, from salad to sushi – everything is almost American food today. You can find ethnic dishes in all flavors – Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Greek, yes, we could go on… – in even the smallest towns and cuisines. However, you should not miss the American classics like hot dogs, apple pies or sweet potatoes that represent “soul food” from “the American south”.
