I became an exchange student at fifteen to escape life with a mother who felt unhinged, unsafe and controlling. I felt I would burst. A bit of an extreme solution I know, but at the time it seemed that it was an exciting way to solve a very shitty problem.
It’s now know that it’s who I am when authentic. Creative solutions to everyday solutions is an artform I have now developed over many years of practice.
How It Started
As per usual, I decided I wanted to go to the US on the program I picked, the next step was working backwards to make it happen. The first hurdle was my mother’s permission.
“We can’t afford it,” she sighed when I first asked.
Hmmmm I thought, where can I get a commitment for the money. Not my dad, he was rarely there and not an option in a situation like this. My Grandma, my mother’s mother, helped the family A LOT. She was amazing. Maybe she would support my plot.
She visited our house, and I made sure that the information was on the dining room table where she would see it, and ask about it. It happened as I planned and being the generous woman ahe was she offered to pay the upfront costs, it was $2k and my mother agreed to send pocket money every month. Stage one complete.
Applying to The Org
Youth for Understanding (YFU) was just starting out in Australia, when I travelled it was with their first batch of students from the land of Oa and one of the youngest. The others considered me the baby of the group.
I submitted my application to YFU and waited, not my strong point. I was nervous and I babble when I’m nervous, and it spilled over into school where I was mocked. I will tell you here I was never a popular kid, I was the quiet, shy one at the back of the room so they laughed at my audacity when I burst out with my enthusiasm that I hoped to go to the US as an exchange student they laughed. Told me that only special people get accepted not kids like me.
Did I give up? Nope, those little funkers made me more determined. They did me a favour.
It wasnt easy. There was the original application, then a panel interview, and more vetting before I got a yes. And when I did wow was I excited. I enjoyed telling the doubters at school that I would be leaving for the US in two months, then I panicked.
Getting Ready To Depart as An Exchange Student
The two months flew by. My grandmother was amazing, she even took me shopping for some new clothes to take with me, and came with us to the airport. I had never flown before and the flight ahead was so long.
The year was 1978, and we first flew to Sydney for a two day orientation with kids from all around Australia. Then off to San Francisco for another three day orientation at The Berkley campus of the University of California. This was a wild ride already.
In San Fran, the 80 Aussies met with over a hundred Japanese exchange students and we spent the whole time together. I remember one particular Japanese student who found me alluring, which was hilarious for me as a fifteen year old.
He was my first kiss. And after exploring San Francisco for three days, we all parted ways to fly to our assigned families. It was scary being separate from the group, but I was excited for what came next. It was winter in Minnesota, my final destination and because of a blizzard we couldnt land at the local airport.
We landed somewhere else and boarded a bus for a two hour ride to where we were going and where I would meet J and M, my host parents.
Peace OUT