From the snow drifts and tornadoes of Nebraska, to the white sand beaches of southern Italy, author Jessy King shares his experiences as an exchange student during his senior year of high school. In The Exchange, he tells about traveling and learning abroad in 2001 and 2002 against the backdrop of the bombing of the World Trade Centers in New York City. From the perspective of a young man learning his way in the world, this memoir narrates King's adventures in Italy and surrounding countries; the sights, sounds, and smells of different places; and his thoughts and feelings as he navigated a new host family, a new language, new foods, and new friends in a foreign country.

The Exchange discusses the meaningful life lessons he gained while abroad. King tells that living outside the United States gave him the opportunity to see his homeland for what it is-a great place filled with opportunity and growth in life. He realized how lucky he is to be in a place where dreams and visions do come true.