Brueser came to Gunn this semester through the Council on International Educational Exchange program. “The reason I decided to go on an exchange trip was to improve my English and go on an adventure,” she said. Brueser is staying with her host family, who have two students going to Gunn, until mid-June.

The main difference that Brueser finds between Palo Alto and Germany is the environment. “I like Palo Alto, but everything is far away,” she said. “You have to have somebody drive you everywhere, which is different from Berlin, where you can walk around to get to places.”

Another difference is how many Gunn students are involved in extracurricular activities after school. “Everyone is very interested in something,” she said.

During her time at Gunn, Brueser has played a variety of sports, as her school in Germany doesn’t have any sports teams. She tried basketball and track and field, but ultimately stuck with badminton. “I like to play team sports, but badminton is a nice experience where you play individually or as a pair,” she said.

In addition to trying new sports, Brueser has gone on many food adventures. She has compiled a long list of iconic American restaurants that she wants to try, such as Shake Shack, Taco Bell and Popeyes. “It’s nice that there are so many opportunities to try different foods, like Japanese or Italian,” Brueser said.

As someone who has lived in a major city in Germany for the majority of her life, Brueser’s favorite memory of her time studying abroad so far was going to San Francisco with her host family. “I really liked being in a city again,” she said. At the same time, she has enjoyed seeing the sunsets and views of the Bay Area. “In Berlin, there are tall houses everywhere, so it’s not that common to see a nice view,” Brueser said.

With her last day in Palo Alto, June 15, approaching, Brueser has created a “last-week list.” This list details all of the activities she wants to complete on her last week in the U.S. Activities on this list include going to Six Flags, swimming in the ocean and celebrating her birthday. “I want to do everything on that list and see people for the last time,” she said.

Senior Advait Arun traveled this summer to Rabat, Morocco to study Arabic and learn about Arab culture. “I’m studying the Arabic language and immersing myself in the culture and lifestyle here,” Arun said.

His desire to experience  and learn  new things contributed to his decision for studying abroad. “I want the experience living somewhere else with totally different people, and I want to experience lifestyles that we don’t encounter back home, Arun said. “I have always been interested in learning more languages, especially Arabic, and study abroad seemed like the best way to get a crash course in the language.”

He also wanted to have a trip that will help him throughout life. “I chose to study abroad because I wanted to do something memorable that will affect me for the rest of my life, assuming I make good connections, learn lots of Arabic, and reflect on what I do,” Arun said.

For Arun, adapting to the vastly different schedule he has in Morocco is difficult but rewarding. “It’s intense and I’m getting less sleep here than I do on average school days at Gunn, but it’s a worthy tradeoff for the amount of fun I’m having and the things I’m doing,” Arun said.

Arun lives with other students, and explains how having a new home is. “I enjoy living in Rabat, which has become a second home to me, and I enjoy being with other amazing students who are just as committed as I am,” Arun said.

Dealing with the change has been one of the challenges Arun faced while transitioning to a new country, but he has taken a lesson from this experience. “I’ve learned that it’s okay to take time for yourself. Adapting is hard and it’s important that one doesn’t rush into it without checking in with oneself and reflecting on one’s experiences periodically,” Arun said.

Not using his phone as much was also a challenge he faced. “I’ve also learned that we are really addicted to our phones, and having a dearth of internet here in Morocco is helping wean me off of that unhealthy habit,” Arun said.