For exchange student junior Christoph Baumann, the idea of swapping a school year in Unterentfelden, Switzerland, for a school year in Manhattan was an adventure waiting to happen.

At approximately age 14, Baumann knew that he wanted a change, and he decided that later becoming an exchange student was just the way broaden his horizons.

“I wanted to have some changes. That’s why I decided I want to discover something new, and so I applied for an exchange program,” Baumann said.

When accepted into the exchange program, Baumann faced the ever-present possibility of challenges such as homesickness, but he explained that to him, what he’d gain from coming to school in America would be worthwhile despite having to be separated from family and friends for a time.

“I think it was worse for them [my family] than it was for me because I had an adventure waiting for me,” Baumann said. “I wouldn’t say that it was easy, but all-in-all, it went pretty well.”

Aside from the difference in companionship, Baumann found that another difference between his home and America is Switzerland’s tighter cultural make-up, along with in the size and spread of the country’s geography.

“I guess Switzerland is way tidier. Everything has its structure, which makes it sometimes a little bit annoying,” Baumann said. “And of course size is completely different. Everything is huge in comparison to what we have back home.”

Bauman explained, however, that there are actually many similarities between his life in Switzerland and life in the United States. Here, Baumann is still able to partake in activities that he enjoys at home.

“I’ve spent a lot of time playing soccer, as I do it here as well,” Baumann said. “Normally, you are pretty busy with school on weekdays, so you don’t really have time for activities besides sports. Usually [at home], I spend the whole weekend with my friends and sports.”

Though Baumann’s home in Switzerland greatly differs from his temporary home in the U.S. in some aspects, he’s found that culturally, there and here are practically one in the same.

“I think there are a lot of similarities, which is probably caused by the similar culture,” Baumann said.