FAR FROM HOME

In the 2024-2025 school year, new faces joined the student body at school, bringing fresh new perspectives and a touch of international flair. 

Tenuun Amartuvshin, Mila Vasicek, Franziska Ney, and Kokomi Motojima are this year's exchange students. Exchange students were excited to come to the United States. Here is why they came here. “Since I was little, I have had many opportunities to travel with my family, and when I visited the U.S., many people were so kind, which is why I fell in love with America,” Kokomi Motojima from Japan said. “Also, one of the reasons I wanted to experience American culture is to experience the local area.”

They also have some cultural differences they've noticed since they came to the United States for the first time or in a while.

“The biggest difference is that people here are so welcoming, open, and chatty, even though I don’t know the person!,” Tenuun Amartuvshin from Mongolia said. “For example, sometimes people just walking past me compliment my outfit. People in Mongolia would rarely do that.” 

What about their opinion on American High School? How do they like it so far? 

“I love American High School! It’s not hard and there are so many events that people attend,” Mila Vasicek from Germany said. “The whole school spirit is amazing and I love the different school sports! I will never get over that.”

Since they came here, they are trying new foods they have never had before in their homeland.

“I had my first ever McDonalds when I was on a trip to Utah with my host family,” Tenuun Amartuvshin said. “Mongolia doesn't have Mcdonald’s, Chick-fil-A, and Raising Cane’s so I’ve got to try it and they were all so good! I’ll probably miss it when I go back.” 

It must be a different experience going to school here and in their homeland. They laso shared their daily routine in their homeland. “In Germany, I wake up, take the bus to school, depending on the day I have school until afternoon or noon, then I go home,” Franziska Ney said. “I read, dance or go running. I cook dinner and spend some time with my family.”

At the end, this year’s exchange students shared random facts about their home country. 

“We don’t eat sushi every day in Japan! Actually, I like bread better than rice.” Kokomi said. 

As for Germany, “German sounds aggressive even though we might tell you a compliment. People are also allowed to drink at 16 but not to drive a car, which is the exact opposite for us. Aldi is German, so if you go in there and look around, you’ll find special German food.” Mila Vasicek said. 

For Mongolia, “If you visit our capital during wintertime, be warm because it’s the coldest capital in the world!,” Tenuun Amartuvshin said. “And the rest of the country is empty and it’s peaceful.”

Written by Tenuun Amartuvshin