English teacher Breanne Chenault made a life-long experience one year away from her friends and family in Peru. She did an exchange year in Tacna, Peru as a junior in high school.
“I wanted the adventure while I was still young enough and without too many responsibilities to travel and experience that part of the world,” Mrs. Chenault said.
She had a lot of support from her family, friends and school. “There are so many good memories that are made on an exchange year, it’s hard to pick just one,” Chenault said.
Besides being in school, she did other great activities like horseback riding, sewing and cooking classes, partying with friends and traveling through South America.
A big difference for her back then is that in Peru it was an all girls school from kindergarten to 12th grade.
“I remember one time a kindergartener came up with a pair of scissors and asked if she could cut some of my hair because my hair was so unique to them,” Chenault said.
Her exchange year definitely changed her as a person and changed the trajectory of her life. She ended up studying Spanish in college, it earned her a lot of good scholarships, she made a lot of friends and is still in contact with them 20 years later. This summer she is going to meet with one of her friends she made in her exchange in Peru. “It changed my entire life,” she said.
Chenault wanted to be a teacher long before the exchange year, but it also helped understanding the struggles of foreign exchange students. “Having been there myself I know what that experience is like,” she said.
Traveling as a young person can be scary. Chenault wasn’t even a big fan of traveling until she had the chance. However, she said if you can do it, you need to do it.
If you are interesting in spending a year abroad and collect amazing experiences, check out some of following links:
