New Classmates From Around The World
Exchange Students Share Experience In U.S.
October 30, 2025
Eva Lumetta,
Nice, France (Talia Brown)
Eva Lumetta: Nice, France
In your home country, what grade would you be in this year?
College
Why did you want to be an exchange student?
To experiment the American high school and a new culture, lifestyle.
What city in the United States was your first choice?
New York or LA
How did you feel when you found out you were going to Kansas City?
Afraid because I’m not used to being cold in winter.
What is the best food you’ve had since being in Kansas City?
Cheese stick, Canes
What is something Americans eat that you do not like or refuse to try?
Lunch
What do you miss most about home?
Family, friends, food, my city
What has been your favorite part about being in the United States?
Everything
Do you participate in any school activities or extra curricular activities?
Tennis, karate
If you are in a sport, what is the difference between playing here and in your home country?
We don’t have sport at school in France.
What is one song that represents your exchange experience so far? Why did you choose that one?
“Party In The USA.” I started listening to this song the day I arrived here.
Expectation vs. Reality. What did you expect United States high schools to be like? And how does reality compare to your expectations?
Almost everything is like my expectation except there are no lockers in the hallway.
Have you tried food in the United States that a restaurant claims be based on food from your country? If so, how does it compare?
No
What do you do after school most days in the United States, and how does that compare to what you would do most days after school in your home school?
Here I play tennis then karate. In France I finish at 6 p.m., so I go back home and do my homework.
Francesco Rocco Pallavicini, Varese, Italy (Talia Brown)
Francesco Rocco Pallavicini: Varese, Italy
In your home country, what grade would you be in this year?
12th
Why did you want to be an exchange student?
To experience Americans High Schools
What city in the United States was your first choice?
I didn’t choose any city; my host family picked me.
How did you feel when you found out you were going to Kansas City?
I was excited about this.
What is the best food you’ve had since being in Kansas City?
Barbecue
What is something Americans eat that you do not like or refuse to try?
Fettuccine Alfredo
What do you miss most about home?
The food
What has been your favorite part about being in the United States?
The three days in New York
Do you participate in any school activities or extra curricular activities?
Currently not. I’m waiting for the male volleyball season to start.
What is one song that represents your exchange experience so far? Why did you choose that one?
“Mind over Matter,” by Young the Giant. I picked this because when I was on the flight to here, this song played, and it made me think about home but also about the new experience that I was starting.
Expectation vs. Reality. What did you expect United States high schools to be like? And how does reality compare to your expectations?
To be big with lot of cool stuff to do. So far, everything is what I was expecting
Have you tried food in the United States that a restaurant claims be based on food from your country? If so, how does it compare?
Yes, I tried pizza. It was good but not as much as a REAL Italian Pizza.
What do you do after school most days in the United States, and how does that compare to what you would do most days after school in your home school?
Here, after school, I just relax or finish some assignments that I couldn’t finish at school, and then I just chill and help my host family when they need. Back home I had to study, do homework and also I had to go to school six days a week.
Birk Lund Larsen, Farum, Denmark (Talia Brown)
Birk Lund Larsen: Farum, Denmark
In your home country, what grade would you be in this year?
10th
Why did you want to be an exchange student?
Wanted to go to the United States, and my aunt had done it and said it was amazing.
What city in the United States was your first choice?
Seattle
How did you feel when you found out you were going to Kansas City?
At first I was disappointed, but then I realized how cool of a city it is.
What is the best food you’ve had since being in Kansas City?
Mexican birria tacos
What is something Americans eat that you do not like or refuse to try?
Peanut butter on everything
What do you miss most about home?
My family
What has been your favorite part about being in the United States?
Making friends, going to Football games and how big everything is
Do you participate in any school activities or extra curricular activities?
I play soccer.
If you are in a sport, what is the difference between playing here and in your home country?
More serious because it’s with the school. In my country, it’s only clubs.
What is one song that represents your exchange experience so far? Why did you choose that one?
“Party in the USA.” You start out very nervous but then realize it will be OK.
Expectation vs. Reality. What did you expect United States high schools to be like? And how does reality compare to your expectations?
Like I imagined, it it met my expectations.
Have you tried food in the United States that a restaurant claims be based on food from your country? If so, how does it compare?
Yes, I tried Danish desserts and pastry, and it’s very bad compared to my home.
What do you do after school most days in the United States, and how does that compare to what you would do most days after school in your home school?
Play soccer and relax. In my home country, I mostly just relax.
Andrey Bykov, Walchwil, Switzerland (Talia Brown)
Andrey Bykov: Walchwil, Switzerland
Bykov was born in Russia before moving to Walchwil, Switzerland.
In your home country, what grade would you be in this year?
10
Why did you want to be an exchange student?
I wanted to learn more about other cultures and way of living.
What city in the United States was your first choice?
None
How did you feel when you found out you were going to Kansas City?
Pretty excited, but I didn’t know anything about it.
What is the best food you’ve had since being in Kansas City?
Raising Canes
What is something Americans eat that you do not like or refuse to try?
Funnel cake
What do you miss most about home?
My family.
What has been your favorite part about being in the United States?
The shorter school days.
Do you participate in any school activities or extra curricular activities?
Not yet.
What is one song that represents your exchange experience so far? Why did you choose that one?
“Pachka Sigaret,” Kino, a song about living somewhere which isn’t your home.
Expectation vs. Reality. What did you expect United States high schools to be like? And how does reality compare to your expectations?
I thought it would be less crowded in the hallways.
Have you tried food in the United States that a restaurant claims be based on food from your country? If so, how does it compare?
Haven’t tried any yet.
What do you do after school most days in the United States, and how does that compare to what you would do most days after school in your home school?
Do my homework, go to the gym and relax. I do the same in my home country.
Lorenzo Franzone, Rome, Italy (Talia Brown)
Lorenzo Franzone: Rome, Italy
In your home country, what grade would you be in this year?
12th
Why did you want to be an exchange student?
To live the American life and because I think it’s an experience that you can’t miss.
What city in the United States was your first choice?
Los Angeles
How did you feel when you found out you were going to Kansas City?
I felt good; it’s a big city with a lot of things to do.
What is the best food you’ve had since being in Kansas City?
Steaks, especially from Texas Roadhouse, are amazing.
What is something Americans eat that you do not like or refuse to try?
I can’t try mac and cheese even if everyone say me that it’s good.
What do you miss most about home?
Bread
What has been your favorite part about being in the United States?
Knowing a lot of people curious about me and my origins.
Do you participate in any school activities or extra curricular activities?
I play soccer for Staley, and I try to participate at the most school activities because they’re fun and I can meet a lot of people.
If you are in a sport, what is the difference between playing here and in your home country?
I don’t play soccer in Italy, but I can say that here there are a lot of differences even if I thought that American players were bad, but they aren’t.
What is one song that represents your exchange experience so far? Why did you choose that one?
“No Role Modelz,” because a lot of people told me about this song and I started listening to it a lot.
Expectation vs. Reality. What did you expect United States high schools to be like? And how does reality compare to your expectations?
I don’t know; everything that I expected is reality.
Have you tried food in the United States that a restaurant claims be based on food from your country? If so, how does it compare?
I refuse to try Olive Garden, but unfortunately I tried Pasta Alfredo at Red Lobster, and it sucked. I couldn’t eat it.
What do you do after school most days in the United States, and how does that compare to what you would do most days after school in your home school?
Here for now I don’t have a lot of free time after school because I have practice or game every day, but in Italy I don’t neither have free time after school because we have to study a lot, and during the week you can do only that.
Cayetana Stolle Losada,
Madrid, Spain (Talia Brown)
Cayetana Stolle Losada: Madrid, Spain
In your home country, what grade would you be in this year?
Sophomore
Why did you want to be an exchange student?
I wanted to be an exchange students because since I was little (5 years old), I always like being away from home, also speaking English and knowing new people. I’ve spent two summers in Ireland, and every year, in summer camps, so the next step was a whole year.
What city in the United States was your first choice?
I didn’t have any choice at first, but maybe California because it’s similar the weather there as in Spain.
How did you feel when you found out you were going to Kansas City?
I feel excited because my dream was becoming true, and also curious because it’s a place I’ve never hear about before.
What is the best food you’ve had since being in Kansas City?
I don’t know, maybe some chicken or barbecue food. It’s so good.
What is something Americans eat that you do not like or refuse to try?
I don’t have any, but on a first moment, cheese with eggs.
What do you miss most about home?
My family and friends mostly, but also the food and the language.
What has been your favorite part about being in the United States?
I think spending time in school, knowing more people, doing plans with my host family and new friends.
Do you participate in any school activities or extra curricular activities?
I used to do volleyball here, but now the season is finished.
If you are in a sport, what is the difference between playing here and in your home country?
Here you took the sports more seriously. Everyone goes to watch them. It’s more time training and also during the weeks are the games. In my home country, it’s the opposite. Also you took seriously the sports, but not that much. You just go for knowing people and doing some sports. We just train twice or three times a week, and the games are on Saturdays and Sundays.
Expectation vs. Reality. What did you expect United States high schools to be like? And how does reality compare to your expectations?
Everything that I expected was real, but maybe I was scared to the lunch time because everyone were having their friends from before and the first day I didn’t know anyone, but It was easier when I sit down in a table with two girls that now are my friends.
Have you tried food in the United States that a restaurant claims be based on food from your country? If so, how does it compare?
Not yet, but I want to do it.
What do you do after school most days in the United States, and how does that compare to what you would do most days after school in your home school?
Here when I arrived home, I use to do some homework, have dinner and chill out with the TV. But in Spain, I used to hang out 30 min with my friends, and then, studying for the future exams for four hours, at least and do video callings with my friends.
What is one song that represents your exchange experience so far? Why did you choose that one?
I think “Party In The USA,” because the part of “Get to the club in my taxi cab everybody’s looking at me now like, ‘Who’s that chick that’s rocking kicks? She gotta be from out of town. So hard with my girls not around me It’s definitely not a Nashville party ‘Cause all I see are stilettos I guess I never got the memo.” It’s so real; everyone was looking at me at first when I arrived here, listening to my accent and asking so many weird things, and also, this is all new. This is not Spain; this is USA, and I’m here for living the experience.
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