Nelly Gonzalez
Host Institution: University of Montana -Montana-
Home Institution: Universidad de Monterrey
Period: Spring 2005

Prior to the exchange, I felt excited because of the great experience that I was going to live. The day I left, I lost all of those emotions and was scared of going by myself to the unknown - another country; another culture, and a totally different environment. But just as soon as the orientation meetings began, I felt excited again. I couldn’t believe what I was living. I was meeting people from all over the world and knowing different cultures.
	My first few days at Missoula were great because of all the activities that the university provided in order to meet the staff and the rest of the community. We did so many things! We went skiing, for example, or other events in the International House. I was really surprised about all the activities that the university organized for the international students. They really made me feel welcome, which helped me to get involved with campus life and with the community from Missoula. As soon as I arrived, I started to learn about the culture. There were many differences some of which include - the time to have dinner, the privilege to take food with you to class, people wearing their pajamas in class, and the common customs and traditions. Nina (Finland), Lindsey (USA), Jose (Spain), Michael (USA), me
The most common activities at Missoula are skiing, hiking, and fishing. Mt. Sentinel view is beautiful, you can see the whole city from there. Some people enjoy it so much that they go hiking twice a day or more, its amazing. Missoula is a small city and has a great environment. The campus is beautiful and it’s a great place to study. The city of Missoula provides a great sense of security, which is in part attributed to the kindness of its citizens. All of Missoula’s community have big smiles on their faces! Miles of a landscape full of pine trees makes it a wonderful place to visit.
	It was very interesting to attend classes at University of Montana; it was very exciting to take courses at a different university than mine. All of the courses I took were really fascinating and I learned a lot from each of them. Taking courses in a different language and with a completely different system was a new experience because I learned from the perspective of the host country. Kenta (Japan), Emi (Japan), Areli (México), me, Chinho (Korea)
There were many student groups made for international students. I helped out with “La Gente Unida”, a student organization made for the people from Latin America. The International Culture and Food Festival was the biggest event of the International Student Association and there I helped sell Mexican food. We sold enchiladas, tacos, flautas, arroz and frijoles. I liked the festival because all of the international students were selling food from their respective countries. Also, the International Culture and Food Festival had performances and the students danced with music from their country. It was a good way to know the different cultures in the world. It’s a well known festival at the University of Montana, and it occurs each year. Me, Hyung Jin (at the International Culture and Food Festival)
	Spring Break was so much fun, we went to Seattle, and like we were not far from Canada we decided to go to Victoria and Vancouver too. It was a great week; we met those great places, and enjoyed our spring break a lot. Me, Areli (México), Mathieu (France). In Victoria
When I was thinking about doing an exchange, I had thought of going to the United States to improve my English, but I learned so much more. I arrived in Montana with nothing but my luggage and myself. I had to start a new life by my own, away from home, my country, and the things I was used to. This meant making new friends, taking care of myself, making decisions by myself - all of those things in a different country and a different environment. I learned that I am capable to adapt to changes, and I know that I have the strength to handle any situation. Doing this exchange was like a challenge, I started seeing my problems like opportunities. Looking back, I can tell that this experience has been the best one in my life. I strongly recommend an exchange to everyone, because you learn so much from it! The experience has now ended, but I know that all of the great memories will last forever.

Photo Essays from Montana

	Diana Campero	Montana State University	Fall 2007
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