Global cultures have become a bigger part of our school environment as NS welcomes six foreign exchange students. This year, Ryo Kojima (Japan), Haruto Konomi (Japan), Cayetana Adame-Fuentes (Spain), Martin Beguet (France), Klara Jacobi (Germany), and Oskar Schulze (Germany) have all come from their countries to experience life in the US.

          The opportunity to come to the US has been, for some, the realization of a fantasy in their home countries.

          “It feels like living in a dream,” Adame-Fuentes said, “in Spain, everyone wants to come to the U.S. and do foreign exchange, and to be able to do that, it’s unreal.”

          While they are excited to be here, some felt hesitant coming to a place they knew little about. Upon doing research into Utah, they discovered the very religious heritage and learned about the most dominant religion in the state.

          “After [we got the assignment], my mom researched Utah,” Jacobi said, “and the first thing she found was that everyone was like, ‘so many Mormons’.”

          Beguet has expressed that it feels strange being in such a religious community, as he is not involved in religion.

          “My host family is Mormon, and that is different,” Beguet said. “It’s been my first time going to church.”

           Some of our exchange students are from bigger cities, and being in a more rural area has been a nice change for them. The difference in pace has been relaxing and enjoyable.

          “I’m from a big city [of] about four million people,” Schulze said, “it is definitely different, but it’s alright. It’s nice to [be in a] nice, little, quiet area.”

          The knowledge that they would be in a smaller area was the cause of some anxiety, especially because of how little diversity there is.

          “There are very few Asians, so I thought that it might be difficult to live here,” Kojima said. “But everyone is kind, so it’s very easy.”

          The lack of infrastructure for walking places has proved difficult and is an adjustment from what they are used to. In other parts of the world, most people walk to where they need to go, or take public transportation, so the cities are built and planned out for that. Here, however, the infrastructure is not equipped for walking as the primary method of transportation.

          “This is a drive society,” Konomi said, “and I don’t have a license.”

          Since arriving in the US, they have been able to participate in many things that are typically only found in American high schools, such as homecoming. They disclosed that the football games, especially, have been very interesting for them to attend.

          “It’s crazy. Cheerleading especially,” Konomi said. “In Japan we have cheerleading clubs, but they don’t dance. Here they do a performance.”

          What they have experienced so far has fulfilled some of their past opinions about what school is like in the U.S. For many, the only source of information regarding life as an American high school student comes from Hollywood.

          “You have the football games, you have homecoming, you have prom and everything,” Jacobi said, “so those things are similar [to the movies].”

          While they came here with preformed opinions, they also tried to remain open minded. They didn’t want to base their opinions solely on the filtered experiences of others in story times on TikTok or Instagram.

          “I didn’t know what it would be like,” Adame-Fuentes said, “because you can see a lot of things [on social media] about how school in America is, but you don’t know how it really is.”

In addition to all of the cultural and environmental changes they are encountering, the language barrier has proved to be difficult. Their teachers have been as accommodating and as helpful as they can, but oftentimes the students have to put words and assignments through Google Translate.

          “I can’t understand assignments without using translation,” Konomi said, “like in real estate, they use very professional words and I have to look them up.”

          Being in a new environment has pushed the students to become more outgoing and social.

          "I think my social skills [have gotten] better,” Schulze said, “because you have to connect with a lot more people and be more open to try new stuff.”

          America is a place where people of many different backgrounds can come and be united by their love and respect for this country, and our exchange students are looking forward to being a part of that.

          “So many people assemble here,” Konomi said. “I think interacting with many people of different backgrounds is a good experience for me.”

          These students look forward to attending NS for a year, and also look forward to getting to experience America, despite missing their families.

          “I love America; I love this school.” Beguet said, “I miss my friends and family, but I love it here.”

          They are glad to get to be here and feel that they will carry the things they learn and the experiences they have for the rest of their lives.

          “I’m very grateful to be here in a culture and country that are different from mine and with different people,” Adame-Fuentes said. “I think this is going to be an experience and memory that I will cherish forever.”