From the very first moment I arrived at Mercersburg, I have been asked two questions over and over again. First, why I decided to come here. Second, if I am homesick. I do not want to sound cliché and present numerous reasons that motivated me. In the end, it always comes down to who you are and what your personal needs are. However, I want to bring up the issue of homesickness.
The definition given by the American Heritage Dictionary, “homesick” is an adjective meaning "acutely longing for one's family or home." I miss Polish food cooked with my mom; Polish news watched every night with my dad. I miss my younger sister, disturbing me every 5 minutes. I miss my crazy friends whom I have known since day care. However, I am not homesick. Sounds absurd? I do not think so.
When I decided to come to boarding school in the United States, the only thing I knew for sure was that I was leaving my old life behind; nothing was going to be the same anymore. Nevertheless, it has been a conscious decision, and by making it I have agreed to accept the consequences. I have been trading one kind of experience for another, and I believe I am better off this way. I could never experience so many great things, meet so many great people from around the world if I stayed in Poland. I could have received a great education in its pure sense, but there is more to education than challenging classwork. I have it here, and also much more.
Let's turn to the downside. I see my family only two times a year, for Christmas and in the summer. It is heart breaking to say good-bye at the airport, knowing that we are not going to see each other for another half a year. Surprisingly, however, the relations with my parents are much better now than they used to be. We appreciate each other's presence much more, knowing how precious it is. I am more mature, they are more tolerant. Our relationship is on a completely new level; we wouldn't have reached this point for a long time if I stayed at home.
I certainly cannot wait to go home for Christmas. I will spend 3 great weeks with my family, enjoying the time together. In the course of a year we miss each other, but as a result our time together is much more meaningful. Going to a boarding school, even on the other side of the globe, does not mean breaking the family bonds – in fact it strengthens them.
Hi I’m Magdalena and I’m a rising 11th grader from Poland. Being an international student is tough at the times, but since I came to Mercersburg as a 10th grader, I have never regretted this decision. There have been many reasons why I have chosen to come to a boarding school in the States, far away from home, and to study in a foreign language. However, the most important factor was the opportunity to break away from everything I knew, to challenge myself, to be immersed in a completely different culture, and eventually to become a true global citizen.
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