Cat Levine and Chase Strupp, Reporters
To most NCHS students, the start of a school year normally means cramming summer assignments, comparing classes with friends and scavenging for last minute supplies. However, a few students are saying goodbye to their families and boarding a plane to a different part of the world, worrying about what their new life will be like.
For junior Ronja Svensk, an exchange student from Sweden, the week before school began was filled with apprehension. “I was really excited, but I remember the week before I could not sleep because I was so nervous, mostly because of the language. I didn’t think I would be able to understand many things,”
The host family of sophomore Anouk Werthmueller, always knew they wanted to host a foreign exchange student, and the opportunity seemed to present itself this fall. “My husband’s family had several exchange students when he was growing up, so we always talked about hosting one at some point, but it never seemed like the right time,” Ms. Morse said. “Then we got an email from a family friend who said they were looking for a host family, so we decided we might as well jump into it.”
For Ronja, attending a new school in a new country was a risk that they were willing to take. “I was walking around with a map of the school on my phone,” Ronja said. “Having classes with different people was very confusing, especially having to remember their names in a new language.”
Anouk was surprised at how different NCHS is from their old school. “It’s really different because at my old school you were always in one class with the same children and teacher for two years,” Anouk said. “There also were not any honors classes, just advanced schools, so you were not able to create your own schedules.”
While native students want to make it through the year with good grades, foreign exchange students have slightly different goals in mind. “Of course I want to improve my English, but more importantly I want to see how people live and experience the culture,” Anouk said. “Americans are very proud of America and in Switzerland you’re not proud of Switzerland, it’s just Switzerland, you don’t do things like hang up the flag of America.”
Ronja finds the idea of living in America fascinating and has the intention to stay in America. “I just want to experience the culture, to grow as a person and become more independent,” Ronja said. “I also want to improve my English for the future.”
Some of the students have already taken the initiative to get involved in the community, such as junior Rikke Holst, an exchange student from Denmark who enrolled in the study-abroad program called Rotary. “Rotary has different events like the Lobster Fest last which I try to participate in and help with,” they said. “That way I also get to know more people.”
However, the host siblings have also learned from this experience. DJ Morse, host brother to Anouk, has already learned new ways to study from having Anouk around. “I did change a couple of my study habits based on what Anouk does because she’s really good at learning languages,” DJ said. “I’ve changed how I study Latin to the way that she studies English”
Barbara Rucci, the host mother to Rikke, has also noticed an environmentally friendly influence on her household. “Europeans create a much smaller carbon footprint than Americans. Rikke turns off every light
when she leaves a room, she never wastes a bit of food, she barely uses the washer, she does not use the dryer, and she rides her bike,” Ms. Rucci said. “It has magnified for all of us how wasteful we can be.”
After only six weeks, Ms. Morse has noticed that her family has become closer. “It’s been wonderful having her here. We’ve been able to go to different events we would not have necessarily gone to,” Ms. Morse said. “We have a very big household so sometimes we get so caught up in our own activities that we forget where we are and how to make time for each other.”
Ms. Rucci observed the new connection her family has made with Rikke. “My kids have an international friend for life,” they said. “We will always have a place to stay in Denmark and the memories of having an extra sister in the house, someone who everyone truly loves and cares for. She is family now.”
