Why Exchange Is Worth It: 'The Best Thing That Could Have Happened to Me'

Meet Fabienne H., a 2025-26 CIEE BridgeUSA High School exchange student from Berlin, Germany. During her exchange year, she lived with a host family in Forney, Texas. 

CIEE: What was your impression of Americans before coming to the U.S.? 

Fabienne: I've heard a lot about how Americans are probably like at home from different people – and it is nothing like I expected it. I was trying to go in this experience without any expectations because I know it was going to be different.  

And it was. Americans are just so friendly and open. 

I was really scared that I won't understand the people because my English wasn't that good at first and I was scared people were going have an accent. But it was fine. I understood everything and the people were really trying to help me and repeat stuff when I don't understand anything. 

CIEE: What surprised you most when you first arrived in Texas? 

Fabienne: When we first got back from the airport, we drove by the skyline of Dallas, and it was super impressive. I'm from a city, I'm from Berlin, but our cities are not like the cities here. They are so big and the highways have multiple roads on top of each other, and it's just a lot. I never saw that. 

My first week was a lot for me because everything was so much bigger. My first full day I was here, we went to a grocery store and it was just huge. It was so big and had everything in it. It was almost overwhelming, but in a good way. 

CIEE: What has it been like meeting people in Texas? 

Fabienne: I think the people are just really friendly. Every time I meet new people, it's just always, 'You're an exchange student? That's so cool!' They just want to know a lot. It makes me really happy and I feel really welcomed here. 

That's just what I really love about the people here. I feel like Texans are just really welcoming. Every time I talk to new people, they just ask a lot of questions about being an exchange student and I'm just really interested in that topic. And I really like talking about my experience, so I love that. 

CIEE: What's the most American thing you've done here? 

Fabienne: I think the most American thing that I've experienced was Thanksgiving. We spent the week with my host mom's family and we had all the Thanksgiving food.  

It was just so cool to see how the holiday is such a big thing that I've never experienced before because we don't have it in Germany.  

CIEE: What's your relationship like with your host family? 

Fabienne: I was scared that I was going to be lonely because I wasn't with my family at home anymore, but I've been spending so much time with Emily (Westbrook, her host mom) and we're just hanging out together. Every time I get home from school, I just update her on all the stuff that happened in school.  

I really enjoy spending time with her and doing little things together. And she's like real family to me now. 

CIEE: What kind of support have you received from CIEE BridgeUSA? 

Fabienne: I'm really glad that CIEE BridgeUSA has supported me because it is scary to do an exchange here. Like, there's so much new things, much you don't know, people you don't know. 

And anytime I have questions, I can just call our local coordinator or text CIEE and I know I'm getting a response. It just feels like there's always someone that I could reach out to and I will get a quick response. 

So it's just really good knowing there's someone that cares for you. 

CIEE: How have you been involved in your local community? 

Fabienne: We volunteered at a food bank. It was actually pretty fun, because we were just there with a lot of people and music, and we knew we did something that was going to help someone. And I've helped at a carnival from a church. And it was really cool meeting a lot of new people. 

CIEE: What's your message to students considering an exchange year? 

Fabienne: I would say doing an exchange here with CIEE BridgeUSA is the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I knew I would love to do it, but I was scared because I didn't know how it was going to be and it was a lot of new things and you don't know anybody. 

But at the same time, you have the people that care for you, the organization – and everybody's here for you. So I think it's the best thing I could have done for me to experience so much new things, and it is so great meeting a lot of new people and building new friendships and having a second family. 

I love it. 

Interested in becoming an exchange student in America? Learn more about the CIEE BridgeUSA High School program.