Five countries, one high school: Get to know the exchange students

Five students from around the world have come together to Homestead High School to live the full “American experience”. Their year-long journeys have just begun, but the exchange students are already adapting to their new environment of Mequon, Wisconsin.

Where are you from?

Pedro– Brazil.

Kiia– Finland.

Carla– Spain.

Chiara– Slovakia.

Nid– Thailand.

 Out of all countries you could have chosen from, why did you decide to come to America?

Pedro– I attended an American school in Brazil so I was looking for ways to improve my English.

Kiia– I was really interested about the culture here.

Carla– We got the idea from a guy in Spain who was offering to pay for students to come and study in the United States. I didn’t get that deal but my family decided that I should do an exchange program. I’ve always wanted to come to the United States. It’s also really far from my home, so it’s exotic and exciting.

Chiara– I wanted something similar to Europe. It’s obviously not the same, but I like it.

Nid– America has many nationalities and I feel like America is the country everyone compares theirs with. I knew I could learn a lot here.

What has been the funniest/best memory so far?

Pedro– When my family and I went up north and drove a boat.

Kiia– Well my host brother ran through a screen door, but I don’t think you want that.

Carla– The other day Kiia’s host brother ran through a screen door at my home; it was so funny.

Chiara– I was in Milwaukee and then I was at a Packer’s game. It was great.

Nid– I feel like everything I heard about people in America is a lot different than it actually is. People living in Wisconsin are kind and very nice.

What do you think you will miss the most about your home country?

Pedro– I miss the food. We actually eat food instead of just a snack during lunch.

Kiia– My friends and family.

Carla– My friends, food and the Spanish sense of humor.

Chiara– I miss my family. I love Slovakian bread so I miss bread and my family.

Nid– Thai food.

Are there any weird American customs you don’t understand?

Pedro– There probably is one but I can’t think of one now.

Kiia– I’m really bad with small talk and there’s a lot of that here.

Carla– Football games are just like the movies. It’s just weird because in Spain nobody cares about school sports.

Chiara– I thought the yellow buses are weird because we don’t have those in Slovakia.

Nid– We don’t really wear boots because it’s so hot in Thailand. Also, we have uniforms in Thailand so it’s weird and cool that you are able to wear whatever you want.

What is one common misconception Americans have about your country?

Pedro– They think it’s a savage place and that we speak Spanish.

Kiia– That we have polar bears. We don’t have polar bears.

Carla– We are not Mexico.

Chiara– People from the United States think that Slovakia is part of a big republic, which is not true.

Nid– Thailand is not Taiwan.

How would you describe Homestead to your friends back home?

Pedro– It’s big, the infrastructure is really good and the people are nice.

Kiia– It’s just like high school in the movies.

Carla– It’s all just like the movies. The only thing is that there isn’t one main mean popular girl. Other than that, it’s pretty much the same.

Chiara– It’s so huge! I never see ten thousand people in one place, so it’s absolutely huge.

Nid– Homestead is really cool. They educate students very differently, it’s a lot more practical.