Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in an exchange
study program. In my application letter, I was careful to__1__how much I wanted
to see France; evidently, my excitement really came through in my words. Once
I__2__ that I was going,all I could think about was the fun of foreign travel
and making all sorts of new and___3__friends. While traveling was inspiring and
meeting people was___4__, nothing about my term in France was what I__5__。
The moment I arrived in Paris, I was___6__ by a nice French couple who
would become my host parents. My entire experience was joyous and exciting__7__I
received some shocking news from my program coordinator(协调人): there had been a
death in my host parents‘ extended family. They had to travel outside France for
several weeks. That afternoon, I had to___8__ out of one family‘s house and into
another. The exchange coordinator told me I‘d have a___9__ this time and asked
whether I could share a bedroom with an English speaker. To avoid the temptation
(诱惑) to__10__ my native language, I asked not to be__11__with an
English-speaking roommate. When I got to my new room, I__12__ myself to my new
roommate Paolo,a Brazilian(巴西人) the same age as I, whom I was surprised to find
playing one of my favorite CDs! In just a few hours, we knew we‘d be good
friends for the rest of the __13__。
I left France with many___14__, so when people ask me what my favorite part
of the trip was, they are always__15__ to hear me talk about my Brazilian friend
Paolo and the scores of weekdays in class, weeknights on the town, and
weekends___16__ France we enjoyed together. I love how people__17__ seem so
different, but end up being so__18__。 The most valuable lesson I gained from
studying in France wasn‘t just to respect the French people___19__ to respect
all people, for your next best friend could be just a continent away. I would
recommend an exchange program to anyone who wants to experience foreign cultures
and gain meaningful__20__。