From a high school exchange in France to Sciences Po Paris: Aaron's story.

Aaron Kiyama was 15 when he arrived in France for the first time. He spoke some French, but he had never lived away from his family. And in the beginning he was filled with uncertainty. BUt he learned so much in those 8 weeks, then he is happy he went.

"The whole day I was doubting myself," he says. "Why did I come here? This might have been the wrong choice."

He stayed and he pushed through. Three years later, he was admitted to Sciences Po University Paris, one of France's most prestigious universities, on a full scholarship covering five years through to his master's degree. His mother, Lorinda Kiyama, wrote to the Nacel team from Tokyo: "We are overjoyed. Thank you for helping to start him on this journey."

He has a few words for anyone who's hesitant about going on an exchange program in France.

The first weeks are hard. But after 2 weeks he settled in

Aaron's biggest adjustment in the first two weeks was food.

The food was different. In Japan, he was used to a particular rhythm of vegetables and meals. France had its own food culture, and adapting to it took time. He was not used to speaking up about his needs. But he learned to.

"I said, you know, I'm used to having a bit more of this and that. Would it be possible to include something extra in the meals for me?"

He had to speak up for himself, advocate for what he wanted. That conversation took courage and helped him grow. .He says that is a skill a lot of students have not built yet, especially if their parents handle things for them at home. Going far away on your own is a good place to start building it.

He also had to get used to the light. Or the lack of it. In France, in the winter months, you leave for school in the dark and come home in the dark. You do not see daylight. For a student from Tokyo, that was new.

All these experiences made the exchange valuable. He learned lessons that he would not have had when he stayed in his home country.

What you actually take home

​Four years later, Aaron still thinks about what changed for him in France. It is not only the French.

"One of the things would be self-advocacy. I need to speak up about things that matter to me."

The other thing is curiosity. Before France, he mostly followed Japanese and American media. After France, he wanted more.

"I would try to branch out and learn from African media, French media, and so on. That inquisitiveness is something I definitely learned and I still value to this day."

The friends he made in France during his Homestay and High school exchange  are still his friends now, even though he only sees them every few years.

"I made not that many friends, but the friends that I did make there are still my really good friends to this day."

Nacel Support

Aaron had moments during his five weeks when things felt like too much.

Nacel called twice during his stay. Both times it happened to be at one of those moments.

"Those were during times when I was feeling like it was a bit too much for me. Having somebody there to voice my feelings to, the reassurance of knowing there is somebody there, was really important to me."

You are not on your own during an exchange, someone from Nacel will check in with you and you can contact them through WhatsApp as well.  That is useful to know before you go.

You do not have to be confident, you just have to be willing to try

Aaron describes himself as a worrier. Before his exchange he used to worry about a lot of things. He says: "I was one big worry board. What if my host family doesn't like me, everything like that."

What helped him was a simple shift in thinking. He was only there for a short time. Whatever went wrong, whatever felt awkward, none of it would follow him home.

"Whatever embarrassment or discomfort you feel, in the long perspective, it will be done in a really short amount of time."

His advice: spend your waking time interacting with people or learning from them. Make as many connections as you can. Speak the language as much as possible. Stay open when things feel different from home.

"You can't just be like, oh, it's not like at home, I don't like this. That's not the right attitude."

He also says problem-solving matters. He had to sort out some luggage issues on his own while he was in France. At the time it was stressful, but it definitely taught him to be self-reliant. And trust that he can manage things on his own. 

Where Aaron is now

In mid-August 2026, Aaron returns to France to settle there.

His host family, whom he met during his exchange program organized by Nacel, picks him up at the airport and drives him to his dorm. He will study political science, international relations, and economics at Sciences Po Paris. He has been awarded a full scholarship for five years.

When asked how it all came together, he simply replies:

“It all sort of fell into place on its own, but it definitely started with my exchange through Nacel. ”

The French he learned. The curiosity he developed. The confidence he gained when he had to express himself in a language he was still learning. One thing led to another and now he is going to study in France.

Are you inspired by the story of Aaron and want to know more about a high school program in France? We are happy to guide you through the process. 

Have a look at our high school programs in France or get in touch with our advisors we are happy to answer your questions.

​Contact us for more information​