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Sophie Simonsen and friend. Photo: Sophie Simonsen
Opening up the world Moving to a new country by yourself may seem daunting at first, but the rewards that come with it far outweigh any reservations. Explorius offers young adults aged 14 to 18 a year abroad. Three Explorius students who spent a year abroad share their experiences from America and France.
I left, but of course when you suddenly have to live your life completely in French with no one to fall back on, you learn very quickly,” he says.
By Josefine Older Steffensen | Photos: Explorius
Winnblad has already been back to visit many times, and his friends from France are also coming to visit him. All three students agree that their time abroad has given them a confidence boost, made them more mature and given them a new perspective on life. They would also all recommend going on a year abroad with Explorius. As Vesth says: “You’ll regret it more if you don’t go.”
America Sophie Simonsen and Josephine Thøger Vesth both moved to America in August 2016, Simonsen to Texas and Vesth to Ohio. They left Denmark after finishing secondary school and both stayed in America for ten months. “I went to the small, local school, so on my first day everyone knew who I was. I was quite exotic, coming from Denmark, and got some unusual questions like ‘do you listen to music in Denmark?’. It was quite funny really. Everyone was incredibly friendly and it didn’t take long for me to fit in. The worst part was actually coming back to Denmark; I miss it so much and can’t wait to go back as soon as I get the chance,” explains Simonsen. 104 | Issue 109 | February 2018
“One of the biggest differences compared to Denmark was the importance of the church,” says Vesth. “I went to church twice a week while I was there, and that’s actually where I made my best friends. One of my best experiences was on my birthday, when my host family had arranged a surprise party for me. I hadn’t been there for that long, and we’d already celebrated me – but still, they also did this. That openness is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
France Rasmus Winnblad left for France in August 2016 and came back in June 2017, richer on life and with fluent French. “I could speak some basic French when
In brief: Explorius offers 13 destinations across the world. Explorius also arranges exchanges to the Nordic countries.
Web: www.explorius.dk