Exchange Student Views

Students from around the world come to Dixie High as part of a foreign exchange. | Photo Credit: Will DeViney, Flyer Flash

Exchange Student Views
by Heidi Harris
Staff Writer, Flyer Flash


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Ever wonder what it would be like to go to a new place out of your country? What kind of cultures do other people have? Here at Dixie High, students from all over the world visit as apart of the exchange program from Japan, China, Norway, Italy, and Moldova.
 
Natalia Cojuhari, an exchange student from Moldova, says that everything here is so different. There is lots of good food such as ice cream but everyone is eating fast food and she is not use to it.

When asked why she came here she replied, "To have a good experience, see different people, different education-[there are] no uniforms, and [there is] more freedom. Everyone is friendly." In Natalia's country she was unable to choose her classes and the teachers are much more strict. 

She was asked what she thinks about Thanksgiving she said, "Good but strange." They don't have a holiday like Thanksgiving in Moldova. They do have Christmas, Birthdays, Valentines Day, and New Year's. 

Mirina Mizakomy, Mirino Ito and Kiara Iizuka, exchange students from Japan, say the school in Japan is more strict.

When asked why they came here the girls replied that it is free, there is no uniform, interesting education and a different culture.

One of Kiara's favorite things about the USA is the language. He "like(s) English."

Then asked what they think about the Thanksgiving Holiday the girls said, "Not in Japan, it is different." The girls said they have New Years just like the United States, but they also have a holiday called Children's Day/Doll's Festival where there is a day for Boys and a day for Girls where they eat lots of rice cake which is a dessert and leafs. 

Andrea Petterson, an exchange student from Norway, said the school system here is better and everyone is very friendly.

Andrea isn't exactly getting used to the food, "[I] Don't like the food, everything tastes like candy."

She asked what she thinks about Thanksgiving and she replied, "Looking forward to it." She then said they have Easter, Christmas, Halloween (not celebrated as big as here in the U.S.), and New Years. 

Serena Gippa and Zeno Kastelic, students from Italy, said that they like school here but they don't like how there is nothing to do after school. They like American food especially hamburgers.

Zeno wanted to come to the Utah to be closer to family, "My grandparents are here and my father is from Utah." Serena replied, "I knew Zeno." Then asked if they have a holiday like Thanksgiving they said, "No Thanksgiving but we have All day Saint, Fall Break, and family." 

Shaoqie Cai (Leo), an exchange student from China, says that he doesn't like the food here, but he has rice, fish, and beef from China and he likes it a lot.

Shaoqie said the USA experience is what he likes about Utah, "Good to study/education and different experience."

Every place around this world has a different prospective and a different way of doing things in their culture. Getting all the education anyone can makes all the difference.