Exchange program exposes students to new people, cultures
Coming to America from a foreign country can be intimidating. Imagine coming for an entire school year and knowing absolutely no one. This is what the foreign-exchange program is like.
Studying abroad is a dream for many people, and embracing new cultures and meeting new people are part of the experience. Particpating in an exchange program can be a life-changing experience.
Fynn Kreuder was a foreign exchange student from Germany this year at Tokay. He became close friends with junior Ryan Means.
“Making friends with people like Ryan has helped me grow by not being so scared to open up to people and build closer bonds to new friends,” Kreuder said.
Teresa Suquia, a sophomore exchange student, said that coming to a new country not knowing anyone was really challenging, but it taught her to be more independent and to connect with people.
Creating relationships, especially with people from different cultures, is something that can stick with you forever. When asked what she was going to tell her family and friends about life in America, Fanny Charlier responded: “Being at Tokay was a real American experience like seen in movies because of the cheer squad and football games.”
Charlier also talked about all of the restaurants that are here and how much more she eats in the U.S. She says the weather is also different. Even though she thinks it sounds “stupid,” Charlier says weather in her native Belgium is not as nice and she enjoys how sunny and warm it is in California.
Kreuder noted that being involved in sports at Tokay was a great way to make new friends and show school pride.
Making memories is a big part of spending multiple months in a different country, and it’s also a sentimental moment for exchange students to look back on.
“Being able to tell my friends back home I got to go to San Francisco and Tahoe will be a really cool story to tell,” Kreuder said.
“Going to Santa Cruz was so surreal. It’s something I wish we had back in Spain and it was definitely my favorite place in California I visited.” Suquia added.
The experiences that these teens have made have changed their lives. It’s help them become more independent, smart decision-makers and gives them lifelong memories that many other students are unable to enjoy at such a young age.