01 Apr It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it

Written By: Tereza Čermáková

Becoming or not becoming an exchange student can be a difficult decision. I think most people who attend university are considering this option. I have been postponing this decision for a long time. Just choosing a place to go was difficult. When you make a list of countries you are interested in, you are faced with the decision of going somewhere closer or stepping out of your comfort zone and going to a more distant country. I chose the more challenging option and decided to go from Central Europe to San Francisco.

I remember that I didn’t believe that I had been accepted for an exchange to San Francisco at first. It was a shock! Shock was replaced by enthusiasm, which lasted only until I really started to arrange everything necessary for the exchange. All the paperwork and preparations before departure were really demanding and stressful. I won’t lie to you, there were times when I regretted my decision to travel so far. For example, when I found out how expensive San Francisco is. Or when I admitted that I was leaving my life and all my loved ones behind for almost six months.

Packing all my belongings and de facto my entire life into one checked suitcase and one carry-on is some special skill in my opinion, and I still don’t understand how I was able to do it. The day of departure was a bit of a blur for me. Getting up very early, checking things, putting the suitcases in the car, … But the hardest part is saying goodbye to your loved ones for such a long time. Then I had a flight to Paris, where I changed to a flight to San Francisco. I felt the fear of the unknown, as I had never flown this long in my life. I spent around 15 hours on the flight and that’s not counting the wait during the connections.

Doesn’t sound very positive so far, does it? Preparations and beginnings are not always rosy. And it was the same a few days after we arrived because of jet lag. As my jet lag gradually disappeared, my perception of San Francisco improved. I could finally start enjoying the places in San Francisco that I was looking forward to when choosing my exchange school. My first visit to Union Square was amazing. Since the sun was shining compared to the previous days, we decided to walk the whole way to Pier 39. The streets of San Francisco are almost surreal. I loved the views down the steep hill or looking up at the horizon.

However, I consider the visit of the Golden Gate Bridge to be the greatest experience so far. I was looking forward to this monumental landmark from the very beginning. A few years ago, I saw a documentary about this bridge on TV and ever since then I really wanted to visit it. We kept postponing this trip because of bad weather and because of my obligations from my home university. However, after almost 14 days we made it, and I must say that the wait was worth it. After so many rainy days, the weather was good that day. The clouds looked like something out of a fairy tale, and it was pleasantly warm.

What I was really looking forward to was the start of school. Already orientation day has been great, and I have met many new friends who I see regularly. Every single class I took was unique and interesting. I fell in love with the local library on the first day and after taking the tour, I fell even more in love with it. But the library is not the only worthwhile place in the school.

These are not the only experiences I have managed to collect in San Francisco during my stay so far. But the purpose of this article is not to convince you to visit these places (although they are worth it). I would like to take this opportunity to encourage you if you are considering going on an exchange trip somewhere. Sometimes it can be scary, sometimes it’s not easy in terms of preparation… But one day, when you look back on an experience like this, you’ll be glad you took the chance.