Since the 2014-15 school year, around 900,000 to 1,000,000 kids have come to the United States each year as foreign exchange students.
For the last several years, Chassell School has had wonderful exchange students attend our school, and this year, we are lucky enough to have two! Gaia Benvenuti and Isabella (Isa) Hernandez are two amazing exchange students. Gaia comes from Cesena, a town on the northeast coast of Italy, and Isa comes from San Luis Potosi in Mexico. Isa’s host family include Gus and Tricia Kirkish and their two children, Mia and Liam. Gaia lives with Marco and Sarah Guidotti and their two kids, Kai and Dane.
Each of the girls finds their host families very welcoming and loving.
”Sarah and Marco are super helpful and kind,” said Gaia. “ They helped me make new friends, and they are still doing a lot of nice things for me. Also, Kai and Dane have made me feel at home since the first day. I get along very well with them, and I love them so much,”
When you think about it, being a foreign exchange student takes a lot of courage. They have to be away from their home country for an extended period of time and might only sometimes know what to expect. The U.S. has so many places to visit and states to live in, each with its own uniqueness. There are sunny states, wintery or rainy states, beaches, mountains, and much more. There is also a lot of diversity and cultures spread out. This makes every experience as an exchange student different and unique.
Along with having fun with their host families, Gaia and Isa have also been connecting with people at school. They enjoy going to a small school because everybody knows each other. “I like going to a small school because it’s easy to make friends,” states Isa. Gaia enjoys the chance to play sports, no matter her experience with them. Even though they find some of the hobbies and activities of the United States unusual, they won’t hesitate to try something new.
Despite the fact Gaia and Isa are having fun, they still miss some things from back home, especially their families. You may not always think so, but once you don’t see your family and siblings every day like you usually would, it can be strange. “I never thought I’d say it, maybe because before I was used to seeing my parents and my brother every day, but now that they’re far away, I understand how important they are,” says Gaia.
Even so, Gaia and Isa are thankful for the chance to come and experience the U.S. and learn its culture.