Marcus is once again home to foreign exchange students studying abroad for the year. The time in America results in a variety of experiences for the students.
Foreign exchange students travel to a foreign country for a school year to study. Students who study abroad can receive school credit depending on policies in their native country and the organization they’re traveling with.
The process to become an exchange student is lengthy and takes months. Many steps and security measures must be taken before a student can leave.
First, each student attends meetings and picks which organization they want to travel with. Depending on which countries their organization offers, the students then decide which one they want to visit. Finally, they send an application into their chosen organization.
Once the application is received, volunteers bring students in for individual interviews. Interviewers provide the applicants with hypothetical scenarios and ask how they would handle the situations. Students are also required to take a language test to ensure they can communicate in their host country. After a couple of weeks the interviewers mail a letter stating whether or not the student is ready for the program.
After an applicant is accepted, meetings and training camps start. The camps provide the exchange students with an opportunity to experience things like culture shock and homesickness. The instructors at the camp teach the students about the phases of their new school year and the difficulties they will face.
Depending on which country the student goes to, they must get all of the appropriate shots before traveling, fill out many forms and apply for a meeting at the American embassy to get a Visa. Once every step is complete, they’re ready to go to their host country.
Youth For Understanding (YFU) is one organization that works to house foreign exchange students. In their 64-year history, more than 250,000 students have participated in their program. Each participant has a different reason for going abroad. It can be anything from academic interests to wanting new experiences.
Nanae Tezuka, a junior, from Japan is among those who traveled with YFU.
“A person I respect, went to study abroad. I heard about her experiences, therefore I wanted to do like her,” Tezuka said.
Sander Orderloekken, a junior, from Norway decided to become an exchange student for a similar reason.
“I wanted to see how the American high school was,” Orderloekken said. “My sister was an exchange student, too. She talked really good about it and told me her experiences. That made me want to go.”
The students leave their family, friends, habits, norms and everyday life behind. In the new country, they live with a host family, who is only required to provide a bed to sleep in, running water, and three meals each day. However, most of the host families take care of the exchange students like their own children. Tezuka said when she doesn’t understand what a teacher said at school, her host mom teaches her the meaning.
Being away from home, family and friends for a year can be stressful. It can also be beneficial and educational. Orderloekken said it wasn’t too hard to leave his family because he was so excited. Tezuka, however, knew she would miss her family.
Typically, participants arrive in their chosen country anywhere between three weeks before school begins to only three days. During this time, they start getting to know their “new family”. They also do practical things like unpacking, buying supplies and going to their new school to choose their classes.
Most schools have a lot of different classes to offer and usually classes that aren’t available in their home country. The only core classes required at Marcus are U.S. History and English, but their home country might require others. That’s what attracts a lot of students, they can take many different classes than what they offer in their native country.
When school starts, they begin as any other student would but with a few differences. Foreign exchange students may struggle to learn content because of the language barrier, so teachers are a bit more lenient with them.
But after a while, the foreign exchange students integrate seamlessly. They go to school, do their homework and get grades just like everyone else. They begin making friends at school, at church and even in clubs.
In fact, Marcus offers a foreign exchange club sponsored by math teacher John Kostibas. Kostibas was a foreign exchange student himself in 1970. Originally from Greece, he spent a year in Denver, Colorado.
“I see that the program is extremely helpful in someone’s life and that’s why I thought I would be involved now working with the exchange students and helping them have a great experience,” Kostibas said.
Both Tezuka and Orderloekken have started their school year with goals they hope to achieve. Orderloekken hopes to reach, or even win, state finals with his soccer team. Tezuka is using this time in America to improve her English, as she desires to use those skills in college when studying global issues.
Although the change has been big for the students, both look forward to the year in America. They hope it will be life changing.
