At just 10 years old, Alix Duquesne-Boaglio knew her future would include a year away from her home in Annecy, France. Back then, she never expected that she would be trading away views of her picturesque hometown which features canals and medieval architecture for the cornfields and prairies of Lincoln, Nebraska.
Now, Duquesne-Boaglio is eager to immerse herself in the culture, language and activities that she’s never done before. These were the main factors that drew her to attend LSE and experience life in the United States. Learning, not only through LSE’s education, but through the immersion of cultures by living in an entirely new place is a big part of any exchange student’s life.
“The U.S. was really something, not like a dream, but I was really interested in it and the language and I wanted to improve my English,” Duquesne-Boaglio said.
Furthermore, the culture and education is equally important to Duquesne-Boaglio, as well as how being involved in LSE extracurriculars and sports is a significant part of making the most of her exchange year. Due to this, she’s jumping into cross country and hopes to make a big impression on the swim team.
“I’m doing cross country,” Duquesne-Boaglio said. The people are really nice and I’m making friends and everything. In France, I do swimming, so I’m going to try out for the LSE swim team in the winter.”
Whether she’s in France or Nebraska, trying new sports helps her meet new people and stay involved within her community.
“I was looking forward to making new connections, meeting new people and talking with them. I’m also doing team sports so I can learn about new ones. I just want to try new things,” Duquesne-Boaglio said.
While Duquesne-Boaglio is busy filling her time in the U.S. with many new sports, her life in France included running, swimming, spending time with her friends and family and going to class. Not only are the sports very different in the U.S., but the education system differs in numerous ways from France.
“Education in the U.S. is so much more different from France. In France we finish school at 6 p.m., when in the U.S. we finish at 3 p.m,” Duquesne-Boaglio said. “The fifty minute classes in the U.S. are really different from France because we would have two hour long classes. And classes are really, like, relaxing and everything in the U.S.”
While the education system may be very different, it’s not the only adjustment Duquesne-Boaglio will have to make during her exchange year. While in Lincoln, she is staying with her host family. For exchange students, a host family is a household that will provide them with care and a safe home while they’re away from their home country. Duquesne-Boaglios favorite part about her host family is their daily debriefs at dinner.
“Talking with my host family when we have dinner or something and telling them about my journey is nice,” Duquesne-Boaglio expressed. “They also have another exchange student who is Danish at home, so it’s pretty interesting to know about everyone’s day and the difference in everything.”
As for the transition from France to the U.S., Duquesne-Boaglio felt that the difficulties she expected were erased by the excitement of her new life.
“It was kind of easy. I was surprised. I was kind of scared at first, but then I saw how things went so well and everything. I think a week after it is really different,” Duquesne-Boaglio said. “You’re like, oh, wow, I’m going to stay here for like ten months. It’s going to be a lot.”
Despite any doubts along her journey, Duquesne-Boaglios’ host family and new friends continue to make the transition easier as she proceeds to adjust to her first month as an exchange student. Through all of this, Duquesne-Boaglio’s main hopes for her exchange year are to make the most of every new experience, try many new things in the U.S. and embrace change in the next nine months as an exchange student.
