Notre Dame welcomes Junior Agustin Luy, an exchange student from Valais, Switzerland. 

When he was 13, Luy dreamed of travelling the world. 

“I wanted to travel and learn a new language,” he said. 

When he turned 14, he learned about an exchange program that would allow his dream to become a reality. 

“I didn’t want to look back when I’m 30 and think, I should have gone to the U.S.,” he explained.

Now, Luy is living his dream as an exchange student and experiencing life as an American high schooler. 

Although he had never been to the U.S. before, he quickly noticed that people are more similar to those in Switzerland than he expected.

“The weather is pretty much the same, but the biggest difference is that you eat dinner earlier. We usually eat around 9 pm,” he said. 

Still, one major adjustment has been the school system. 

In Switzerland, students must go through 11 mandatory years of school before choosing different paths, such as high school, commerce school or an apprenticeship where they can learn a trade.  

Swiss schools are rigorous, and students can’t choose most of their classes. 

“Most tests are long essay-style exams. We don’t have multiple choice, and our exams are two hours long,” he explained. 

Despite academic differences, Luy has adjusted well to American life. 

“The best thing about being here is that my grades don’t matter,” he said. 

However, one of his biggest challenges has been the language. 

“A lot of English vocabulary is similar to French, but the accent is hard to lose,” he admitted. 

Still, he is proud of how far he has come. 

“Eight months ago, I could only understand basic things, but now I can follow everything,” he added. 

Luy is also looking forward to exploring more of the U.S.

“My exchange organization is planning trips to Yellowstone, Hawaii, Florida, and Washington D.C.,” he said. 

Luy advises future exchange students not to waste their year being shy and that their mistakes won’t matter in nine months. 

“You won’t see these people again,” he said. 

As the year continues, Luy keeps his family in Switzerland close to his heart, especially his brother. 

Still, he is grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn and grow in a new country.