Finals week has left students drained, yet relieved to begin the months-long decompression period known as summer vacation. It’s the moment students are excited about from the moment they begin school in September – a time to spend time on what they enjoy doing, while spending time with their friends on the sunny New England coast. But, for many friend groups, a gaping hole will be ripped from their social circle as the foreign exchange students return to their home countries.
This year, five exchange students were welcomed with open arms and hearts to Old Rochester Regional from all corners of the world. Josefin Bakken (Sweden), Marco Li (Hong Kong), Egeman Öztürk (Turkey), Nils Sünderhauf (Germany), and Louise Vis (Netherlands) may not have been at ORR for very long, but they all certainly left a mark on the school and its community.
The program that allows exchange students to study at Old Rochester is the American Field Service (AFS). The AFS finds volunteer host families who are willing to house an exchange student. Exchange students are assigned host families based mostly on shared interests. AFS club supervisor Kim Corazzini said, “A family that was very interested in the arts might chose an exchange student with similar interests.”
The AFS criteria for host families are broad, with the most important factor of all being whether or not the foreign exchange student will be placed into a safe, loving home. Host families aren’t required to have a kid in high school nor do the exchange students need to have their own room (but a separate bed is a must!).
After exchange students are assigned to host families, it’s time for them to make their flights across the ocean and into their homes for the next year. Most of the exchange students were, naturally, a little nervous about staying with a family they had never met before.
“Honestly, if I said I didn’t feel the anxiety, or that I wasn’t scared, that would be a total lie,” said Marco Li of Hong Kong. “But after the first day, I knew that my host family were good people.”
After the initial anxiety of arrival, the exchange students felt right at home here in America. For Egemen Öztürk of Turkey, however, the excitement completely overrode the anxiety. “I was so happy that I was standing on my feet by myself at literally the other side of the world,” he said.
But across the board, the United States was perfect for meeting new people, as Louise Vis of the Netherlands explained.
“The best part of being in America was making new friends that I will have forever,” said Vis. America also taught the exchange students invaluable lessons, Vis said. “I’ve become more mature.”
Every country has its own nuances – whether they are its culture, its food, or the nature of interpersonal relationships. These small cultural details lead to what makes every country and its people unique, and by living in a new country, the exchange students were able to witness those differences firsthand.
The most common difference seemed to be the reduced level of freedom here in the Tri-Town. Li, Öztürk, and Josefin Bakken of Sweden all agreed.
“Teenagers in Sweden get so much more freedom. We can go out anytime, without really having to talk to our parents,” said Bakken. Li and Bakken both said that the most important difference between America and their respective countries was the way people treat each other. America, they agreed, is a very open country.
“Because we live in a city, we aren’t that close to each other. You guys live in a small town, and basically everybody knows each other,” explained Li. “In Hong Kong, we aren’t as nice to each other. We can be a bit cool sometimes, which makes it more difficult to be friends with a lot of people because we close ourselves up to new people.”
Bakken felt the same about the apparent lack of warmth amongst people.
“I expected people to be very open, which they were,” said Bakken. “You can talk to anyone, which is a big change from Sweden. Our subways are like libraries; they’re so quiet.”
Öztürk says his biggest cultural difference is the pastimes of teenagers, as well as the availability of transportation.
“Teenagers here do sports more than Turkish teenagers, but Turkish people hang out more than American teenagers,” said Öztürk. “And transportation is so hard here. It is not hard at all in Turkey.”
As for expectations of America, most were gained from TV, the Internet, and stereotypes. The most common, as one might easily guess, is the rude, overweight American. Öztürk, after his year here, said that from his experiences here, that stereotype didn’t hold up.
“They [Americans] are more fit than I thought, and they are so nice!” he said.
Bakken said he had perceived American high school to be very similar to High School Musical.
“I remember the first day I came, people were wearing jerseys because they had a meet or a game, and I was like ‘Oh My God, it’s High School Musical.’”
To those of us who have experienced the U.S. education system first hand, it’s clear that real American high school is very, very different (and slightly disappointing) compared to High School Musical, which is a sad fact Bakken very quickly learned.
And now that it’s time for their sad departure, one can’t help but wonder what things from America our exchange student friends will miss the most. Vis, Bakken, and Li all said that they’ll never forget the people they met here. In addition to the people he met, Öztürk said that the thing he will miss most is his “host mom’s cooking.”
And although we must say our sad goodbyes, the exchange students who flew their way into the hearts of the school community in planes from all over the world will never be forgotten. They hold a special place in the heart of Old Rochester, and their smiling presences will be missed by those left here in America. Take it from AFS club supervisor Kim Corazzini,”Their friendship and cultural awareness is priceless.”
On a happier note, Old Rochester’s AFS program is one of the best in the state, and it recently received the “Top Global Learning Schools,” which is awarded to schools that demonstrate “their commitment to international education.” ORR was one of three schools in Massachusetts to receive the award.
This year has been incredibly noteworthy for the group. Because the school welcomed so many foreign exchange students into our community, the AFS was given a scholarship to send two students to another country for two weeks over the summer at no cost in a program called a ‘Global Prep’ exchange. AFS members who wished to be in the running for the scholarship were required to answer a few questions about why they would be the best fit for the trip. After review by a board of teachers, juniors Tessa Camboia and Colleen Garcia were selected. Both girls chose to go to Spain. The students will leave for their two-week cultural immersion on July 5.
The trip will take Camboia and Garcia around Spain, from Madrid to Segovia to Salamanca. The experience in Spain will resemble a long-term exchange in that it will require the students to stay with a host family they’ve never met. During their days, the exchange will allow its students an opportunity to attend Spanish courses, perform community service, and take mini field trips to learn about the history of Spain.
Of all places, why did the two students select Spain as their dream destination?
“I picked Spain out of all the countries available because it’s always been a place I would dream about visiting and knowing that I would expand on my Spanish speaking and listening skills intrigued me,” said Camboia. “I feel that being strong in a second language truly does benefit you in the future no matter the career one hopes to go into.”
Both girls are equally excited, and Garcia explained what she’s looking forward to the most.
“I’m most excited about immersing myself in the Spanish culture and connecting with my roots, as well as meeting so many amazing people as I am sure to!” said Garcia.
Next year, the AFS will continue pursuing its goal of educating the Old Rochester community of cultural differences around the world. Camboia summed up the importance of the AFS club nicely when she stated, “The AFS club is basically just a club where you allow yourself to learn about cultural differences and accept them. It empowers adolescents to break out of the shells and try new things.”
If you have any questions about the AFS club in general, going on an exchange, or are interested in hosting an exchange student for a full or half year, please feel free to email AFS club supervisor Kim Corazzini at kcorazzini@orr.mec.edu for more information.
By Sienna Wurl