I went to Abilene, Kansas to go one year to a high school. I was placed in this town by the organisation that organized the exchange program . I spent the time between August 1994 and July 1995 here, only interrupted by a two-week trip to New York City (which was really great) and Washington, D.C.
I attended the local high school as a sophomore together with 6 other exchange students from various parts of the world.
Unlike those other exchange students who did not like their host-families, I had the luck to find the best family in America. I enjoyed living with them and loved them as much as my "real" family back home.
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| Favourite spots: |
Abilene is a very small town in the midwest of America. There was not much to do, except for hanging out at McDonalds or a friend's place. Even more so, I was not able to drive and with virtual no public transportation and good and safe roads for bicycles, it is difficult to just go here and there - especially when you live out in the countryside like I did.
The countryside is flat with some woods, but mostly corn fields.
I really cannot think of any exciting place.
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| What's really great: |
What made my stay in Abilene great, was certainly not the town but the experiences I could make by living in a foreign country as a teen-ager for a whole year.
I learned so much about myself and about different cultures and values - it has had a great influence on my development and of who I am today.
As I said this has not much to do with the town - and since you as a traveller will certainly go to Abilene for different reasons than I did: there is really not much to see in this town.
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| Sights: |
let's see:
- there is Greyhound racing that can be watched
- there is a Hall of Fame (but I don't know anymore for what topic)
- there are lots of corn fields
- also worth mentioning maybe the library for Dwight D. Eisenhower (sorry if misspelled), who was born in Abilene
- and you will encounter way too many conservative, christian-fanatic and gun-fanatic people (so try to avoid those, if possible)
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| Accommodations: |
I can't really say much to this, since I stayed in a host-family and therefore lived in their house.
But there are certainly some hotels.
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| Nightlife: |
When I was in Abilene, I was not old enough and also had no desire to go to any clubs - if there is any.
So no idea about this.
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| Hangouts: |
Same thing here, no idea about pubs in the Abilene.
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| Restaurants: |
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I liked Pizza Hut. Otherwise you will a lot of fast-food restaurants and I remember I once ate some Chinese food and visited a restaurant at the Country Club. However, I cannot really remember a very nice and classy restaurant with excellent food. But maybe you are more lucky to find one.
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Published on Monday September 16th, 2002
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Fri, Jan 09 2004 - 01:24 AM
 by spaceout
I'm sure that if you return to Abilene you'll discover another side to the town that you hadn't seen when you were younger.. our vision of places changes with age and interests..
Every town or development have a story..
Good luck with your future adventures...:-) |
Tue, Oct 21 2003 - 12:31 PM
 by whereisliz
| Sounds like you spent a sad year in Abilene... from what I was able to gather, it's a very historical place. Birthplace of an American President, pioneer stop on the Santa Fe Trail, Native American tribal cultures, prairie plants and animals. Seems to me you may have let your resentment about not being placed somewhere more "exciting" get in the way of your enjoying what was around you. |
Sat, Oct 04 2003 - 10:06 AM
 by marianne
| You must have had a great time. What are you doing now work or study? |
Fri, Jul 18 2003 - 12:41 PM
by mensachick
| It's too bad that you didn't take time to appreciate what is special about Abilene. Every place on earth has something special about it if you are open to it. |
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