It started with a presentation in an English lesson. The girl was in Australia for a year. I started to work with the topic „Exchange year“, read a lot and told my parents about this idea. In the following months, I made all the paper stuff, had talks with YFU volunteers and then actually my Pre-Departure-Orientation. I will never forget the feeling when I got on the train and started my journey to Bratislava. When I arrived at my host home I was so happy.

Then I had my first day in school and the time started to run. I found friends, learned Slovak, tried food and drinks and before Christmas I had a big change. My host family decided that I have to change the host family. I packed my bags, had my last day at school and changed from Trenčín region to Žilina region.

My Christmas was bad: I was hardly homesick and ill and had a new host family. To make me feel like home my host family gave me a cat. Aprillia, my cat, helped me a lot. I became a part of the family and spent much time playing with my host siblings who are five, three and one years old.

Now was Veľká noc and my real family was here to visit me. I know that my last months will be short. I will have trips with YFU Czech Republic and my host family. It was a great decision to do an exchange year.

Melissa – exchange student from Germany