One thing I didn’t expect as an exchange student was how relationships look different depending on where you are. Before coming to the U.S., most of my expectations came from movies like High School Musical or To All the Boys I Have Loved Before (which is my favorite). I imagined dramatic school proposals, couples walking down the halls holding hands, and for some reason, everyone knowing who liked whom. In reality, it’s more normal and, honestly, confusing sometimes.
In my home country of Mongolia, relationships among students are usually more private. People don’t talk about who they like. If they are dating, they keep it low-key. Sometimes you don’t realize people have been dating for years, or you never know at all— like how my deskmate of three years never told me he had a girlfriend all that time. In high school, people often don’t date as openly, and friendship comes first.
But here in the U.S., it’s reversed. Things such as holding hands, kissing, and hugging in public are normal (I witnessed my first-ever kissing scene here), and people tend to be more open about their relationship, whether it’s dating or having a crush on someone.
Another thing is that people here are faster to become friends. I remember my first day, meeting my sixth-period gang and one of the kindest and funniest people I have ever met, and we instantly became friends after the first three minutes being there. Back home, it would take months or years to actually start hanging out or to be friends. Here, if you can smile and nod, you are practically part of the squad.
It’s really funny to keep up. One minute we just met, and the next thing I know, they are inviting me to a party I didn’t even know that existed, which leaves me wondering: Wait, are we friends?
At the end of the day, these small things are the ones that make being an exchange student fun. I’m forever grateful to have met all my friends who made my life easier and more fun.
