Where are you from? 

“I’m from Spain, Cordoba. It’s in the South of Spain.”

What grade are you in right now?

“Right now, I should be a sophomore, but from me being an exchange student, I’m now a senior.”

What’s one thing you expected coming to the United States?

“The high schools are really different in Spain because in Spain you don’t change classes. The teacher changes classes, and you stay in the same class, and I thought it was going to be really different and difficult.”

Has it been difficult?

“I thought it was going to be difficult, but in Staley it’s like impossible to get lost because there’s indications everywhere, so it’s hard to get lost.”

What was the biggest culture shock coming to the United States?

“People shorten words. I thought they were going to speak by saying every word and not shorten them by saying wild letters. That’s been the biggest culture shock.”

What’s one thing you don’t like about the United States?

“The one thing I hate from here is probably the spicy things. I don’t like spicy food, and everything is spicy here, and I don’t like that. And when I eat spicy foods, I feel like I’m dying, and everyone’s saying it’s not a big deal, but to me it is a big deal.”

What’s your favorite thing about Staley?

“All the athletics they have, like the football team and the soccer team. They are a big deal, and it’s really important to the school. It’s something everyone knows about, so I think that’s my favorite thing about this school.”

What sports do you play?

“I play soccer right now.”

What do you miss most about your country?

“My family and my friends because it’s really sad to say bye to them.”

Where are you from?

“ Italy.”

What grade are you in?

“Senior.”

What’s one thing you expected when coming to the United States?

“I expected a different school system.”

Are you liking the school system or do you like Italy’s better?

“American school system is a lot better than the Italian one.”

 What was the biggest culture shock?

“Food, of course. As an Italian, my favorite food is pizza, and I say to American pizza, that’s not pizza. They are two different things.”

What’s one thing you don’t like about the United States?

“That it’s all related to school. So when you aren’t at school, you don’t have anything to do.” 

What’s your favorite thing about Staley?

“I like being on a team and being a part of a team mentality.”

And what’s your least favorite thing about Staley?

“School lunch. Awful, it’s really bad.”

What do you miss most about your home country?

“The food, of course.”

 What activities are you in?.

“I play soccer in varsity team.”

Where are you from?

“I’m from Sweden.”

What grade are you in?

“I’m a senior.”

What is one thing you expected when coming to the United States?

 “I expected everything to be big and have a bunch of different options.”

What was the biggest culture shock coming in the United States?

 “The way people act, like how outgoing people are compared to people back home.” 

What’s one thing you don’t like about the United States?

“I like the candy back home better. It’s so much better. We have more options, and you can pick whatever you want.”

What’s been the biggest culture shock?

“Food. I like a bunch of U.S. foods like Canes, it’s so good. And I like the sodas in the U.S. They are really good, too, but I don’t like all the cheese. I have a hard time with cheese. I don’t really know why.”

What’s your favorite thing about Staley?

 “I like that it’s a big school, and everyone seems really nice.”

What do you miss most about your home country?

“My friends and my family.”

What activities are you in? 

“I play soccer, and I’m also on the cross country team.”

What grade are you in?

“Senior.”

Where are you from?

“I’m from Italy.”

What’s one thing you expected when coming to the United States?

“To learn another culture and to leave different things from Italy.”

What was the biggest culture shock when coming to the United States?

“The outfits in the school. Like pajamas; it’s just informal. In Italy, there is no guys with pajamas at school.”

What’s one thing you don’t like about the United States? 

“Food. It’s not bad, but I prefer Italian food.”

What do you think about American Italian food?

“I tried only pizza, but I don’t think it’s very good.”

What’s the United States food you do like?

 “Cheeseburger; I love cheeseburger.”

What’s your favorite thing about Staley?
“All the people are very nice. I love it.”

What’s one thing you miss about your home country?

“My friends and my family. But I’m enjoying this year so far, so I’m not missing a lot.”

Are you in any activities?

“I play soccer.”

Where are you from?

“I’m from Germany.”

What grade are you in?

“I’m a senior.”

What was one thing you expected coming to the United States?

“I expected the high school life to be different. I think most people are going from Europe to the U.S. because of the high school life.”

Would you say the high school in the United States is better?

“I would say the school in Europe is more strict, but here the high school life I think this is really cool.”

What was the biggest culture shock coming in the United States?

“There are many culture shocks. I think all the food is really high calorie. Another culture shock was the cars — they are really big.”

what’s one thing you don’t like about the United States?

“I think there can be many kind of like a healthy food that aren’t healthy.”

What’s your favorite United States food?

“I like Tex Mex. The first time I tried it I really liked it.”

What’s your favorite thing about Staley?

“How people talk with each other, and the community is really cool. Everyone is nice; it’s not like in Europe.”

Are you in any activities?

“I tried golf. It’s for me new. Maybe I’ll try something else in the future because I think everyone in the exchange program wants to try new things.”

What do you miss most about your country?

“The food, my family and friends.”

Where are you from?

“I’m from Denmark.”

What grade are you in?

“I am a senior.”

What’s the one thing you expected coming to the United States?

“That everyone would be fat.”

And did we deliver?

“Yes.”

What was the biggest culture shock coming to the United States?

“People are a lot nicer here.”

What’s one United States food you like and one you dislike?
“One U.S. food I really like is the cereal. There’s nothing I don’t like, but the portions are way too big.”

What’s one thing you miss about your home country.

“The girls.”

What do you miss about the girls?

“That are they are beautiful.”

What about United States girls?

“They are beautiful, too, just in a different way.”

Are you in any activities?

“I play soccer.” 

And what’s your favorite thing about Staley?

“That it’s very united, and people are very nice.”