Exchange partners and when two schools in different countries exchange a few students for a short period of time so they can learn each other’s languages and cultures.  Schools in England often have exchange partners with European countries, most commonly France, Germany, Spain etc. Student exchanges offer many benefits for students keen to learn a new language

When Japanese students visited our school for a week earlier this month, we went out every single day so that they could experience what like is like in the UK. They were very enthusiastic about visiting and had their phones out to take many photos all the time!

While trips to London to see Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Greenwich were fun, they also enjoyed the smaller things about life in England that are completely normal to us. My exchange student particularly liked watching the news on TV, and the advertisements that came up in between shows, as it was very different from Japanese television. She also especially enjoyed going on buses and transport, as it was her first time taking a bus or train here in England. They had a lot of fun at the top deck of the bus, and were very also interested in chocolate and candy from the UK.

The students bought a lot of souvenirs from central London and also my local area, as they particularly liked shopping. Presents were also gifted at the end to everyone, and we had a bittersweet goodbye at the end of the week.

Hosting an exchange student can be extremely stressful, as you need to check if they are comfortable, if they need anything, if they are tired or have a problem while there is a language barrier. Despite this, it is still an amazing experience for both sides of the exchange, as it is a rare opportunity that I was lucky to have.