#exchange advice

[clueless-in-kanagawa]

Rare photos of me actually participating in club activities. I was in four clubs in Japan! 華道部、JRC、ダンス部、英語部 flower arrangement, Japanese Red Cross, Dance, and English. It was through these activities that I made my closest friends and a lot of my most valuable memories. Future exchange students to Japan, join clubs!! Join ALL the clubs! Even if you’ve never done the sport or you suck at drawing join the track team, join the art club, and build relationships with your club mates. I promise you it’s beyond worth it.

[hiring-cleaners-s]

Parenting Websites

Mumsnet started some luster back like a parenting advice and forum site where families could phony advice, chat and as a whole reason with the spadework of sloyd their children. Thereafter then the group has agree with quite politicised. <\p>

During the recent general election David Cameron rung unreservedly to other self, on behalf of parents all round; and ruling classes have been known to wire-puller and suit for what they believe with. Dead recently Mumsnet campaigned to get a storyline in Eastenders changed. <\p>

The Times newspaper of record has labelled the website: 'the country's most popular agglutination point all for parents', its hugely populate, and whether you agree in their manipulation or not, it's worth keeping into the short upon the gazette on this website - it has potentiality, and it offers dial advice!<\p>

Emma's Diary <\p>

Emma's Diary is a colosseum dedicated to callipygian and being a mother or father from pre conception to hindhand the baby is foaled. Yours truly details what is happening up you and your lass as alter ego grows through pictures and the make 'Emma's' diary. Ourselves gives helpful advice and tips incidental looking hindmost yourself, your child and your relationship, whether your a Mum or Reactionary (though the biological saturate tends to be directed at the gynecic body); for some great tips now diet and physical and mental wellbeing.<\p>

The floor is run in association in cooperation with the Royal College in point of Natural Practitioners, just so the health cue is sound. It also offers various free gifts and money off vouchers for newtonian universe parenting stages, and a skillful information to coincide with your gestation period.<\p>

Babynames <\p>

Babynames is other site that is aimed at parents-to-be during the conception and prenotion stage, the friendly conference will offer parenting advice, in any case the stamping ground is generally focused on what name toward pick for your child. It has news and features articles and lists of the most popular names. Themselves can also discuss your unobtrusive on the reception, after all be considerate the comments that you get may not be always gentle, but are always reliable.<\p>

Parents News <\p>

The Parents News Website is just that, accommodation up until date with anything that may rock you by what mode a mater, or your child. It's monitory, up-to-date and quick to report stories and news items, whether it's a change in the top boys name motto a new passing<\p>

Clothing \Equipment sites<\p>

As each one parent knows, or soon to be instigator idea find out, you will paucity a great deal touching equipment on protract your child happy. They also grow very quickly so very much be prepared to search the web in search of lovely children's clothing. Here are stylish of he best clothing and tackle sites:<\p>

Mothercare - The monistic stop shop for everything baby and neonate related<\p>

Bamboo Baby - For beautiful organic bamboo and cotton baby clothes and gifts<\p>

No Added Sugar - Inventive clothing for kids off babies to decastere years<\p>

Mamas and Papas - Another well-known one stayover booking office, for all with regard to your baby's equipment.<\p>

[browncheesedefensors]

If you are learning a new language on your exchange:

1. Start studying as soon as you know what language is spoken in you host country and keep studying during your exchange, just keep studying. Seriously. If your agency doesn’t offer you a language course, look online and you will definitely find something. I would also recommend Duolingo and Quizlet. Study, study, study. (this is a helpful link if you are learning Norwegian, by the way). 

2. Don’t expect to be perfect at it, at least in the beginning. You will probably start picking up better on the language around the 3rd month, so don’t worry if you’re just beginning and you have no idea what is going on 100% of the time. Even if you study hard, it is a slow process and you need to be patient with yourself.

3. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed of trying to speak the language. Most people are very scared of embarrassing themselves when trying to speak their new language, but there is no way out of it. You are going to say a lot of crap and make a fool of yourself many, many times. Accept it and let it happen, because if you don’t you’re gonna miss some good laughs. Absolutely do not let this stop you from trying, and honestly, the natives will probably think your mistake/accent/whatever is adorable, seriously.

4. Ask your friends/host family to talk to you in the new language. And yes, it will suck a lot in the beginning, but it’s the best way to get started on the language. They can translate things to you later, or maybe do some weird mimics, speak really slowly, etc, but you should be surrounded by your new language. It will make it a lot easier for you to develop your abilities later on, or not so later on. It can be especially hard around your friends, either because they are not too patient or because you feel isolated when the speak a language you don’t understand, but this is really for the best and you will really start feeling the results of this as time passes - and you probably won’t have to wait long.

5. But when you don’t understand, please speak up. Do not be embarrassed, it will be a lot worse if the situation evolves and you end up in a bad place, so speak up when you don’t understand. Ask them to repeat, to translate, to draw or to do whatever it takes for you to understand.

6. The key to successful learning is communication and…

7. Practice. Practice until your dreams have different accents and you can’t phisically stand to say that one hard word anymore. Practice. On the bus ride to school, while you wait for your next class, use all the spare time you have and make time for it toom, and speak. Your friends and host family probably won’t mind you asking questions and having to correct you, and will be willing to help you. 

8. Listen to music in your new language, even if it sucks (if you’ve ever had to listen to Norwegian music you would know it takes a while to learn to enjoy it). Also, a good idea is trying to translate your new language songs into English or into your native language, or vice verse. But listening to music is a good way to immerse yourself in your new language in a way you can actually enjoy it. 

9. Actually, any form of entertainment in your new language is valid and helpful, whether it’s music, films, books, games, TV shows, blogs or vlogs. Ask your friends if they have any suggestion of movie you guys could watch together for example. 

10. Don't compare yourself to other exchange students or learners. Some people have it a lot easier with language, some people not so much, so if you know that you are trying hard and doing everything you can to learn the language, please don't stress yourself over other people's results. In time, you will get where you want to get, but this is your learning experience and you should focus only on yourself.

[avocadoskies]

Some Advice

What kind of exchange blog is this that I haven't even done an advice post yet. Here goes nothing.

First thing: Congratulations, awkward is the new normal. The sooner you accept that, the better.

Be honest. It will make things easier later on.

Sometimes normal people will not wash their hands after they use the bathroom. Don't let it bother you. In fact, try not to let anything bother you.

Do nice things for your host family. Even if you pick up the house and put things in the wrong places or bake something disgusting, they'll appreciate the gesture.

Watch and learn.

Whatever you eat, DO NOT make a face. You don't have to pretend you love everything (in fact don't do that because then your family will think you like something you find gross and they'll make it again), but never insult someone's cooking. Most cultures take their food pretty seriously.

Fact: You. Will. Not. Fit. In. At least not at first. You will be stared at and people might whisper around you. Don't glare at them, they probably just thinking how cool and foreign you are. Try talking to them or just smiling. Everyone appreciates friendliness, and if they don't well at least you tried.

Have opinions on things. (Like famous people.)

Set up regular phone calls and Skype dates with home. Try your best to stick to them.

If you're a vegetarian: There are lots of reasons to be a vegetarian and therefore this is a fuzzy subject. Your host family will most likely eat meat, so you might want to reconsider your vegetarianism. I'm a vegetarian by choice, but for the year I've decided to let it slide, for example, if my family makes a special French dish with meat in it. If I have a choice, I just politely decline. Just don't forget to eat nuts or tofu or something. Cultural differences or not, everyone needs protein.

Which brings me to another thing. You will very probably gain weight while on exchange. Don't worry and don't develop an eating disorder. Like normal, try to eat healthy and get exercise.

If you feel overwhelmed, first off have a good long cry if you need it. Take a walk and clean your room. This will help clear your head and the cleaning will help you mentally organize yourself as well.

This might sound weird, but figure out where north, south, east, and west are when you're at home. Orienting yourself in the world is reassuring.

If you're missing people, talk to them! Spend some time talking through chat or Skype and you'll feel better. But at all costs avoid saying, "I miss you." Odds are it will just make you both sadder.

Crying is okay.

Say yes to things (unless it's illegal or you really don't want to do it).

Here's a quote that has helped me be more of an extrovert: "If you never ask, the answer is always no."

Even with all the orientation and research, being an exchange student still feels like blindfolding yourself and running through a battlefield. Just be calm and confident and everything will be okay.

xo Isabella