This is a two-part series. See more international student profiles in Saturday’s Register.
Read about Veronica Agostini here.
And find Veronica’s original interview here.
Read about Riccardo Barbarossa here.
And find Riccardo’s original interview here.
In August, five international students joined Iola High School.
They came knowing it would be a challenging year. The coronavirus pandemic had shuttered many high schools around the world. Travel to certain countries was restricted. Public interaction, in general, was limited.
Even so, these students recognized it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture. To meet new friends. To experience the American way of life. To learn better English. To grow and mature.
The Register interviewed the Iola exchange students in August, and caught up with them again in recent weeks.
The changes were astounding. They assimilated into their new families and their new school.
Back in August, most were nervous, reserved and maybe even a little timid. They spoke English haltingly, frequently consulting a translator app on their cell phones.
Months later, they sprawled on chairs and couches, comfortable in their temporary homes, the words coming easily. They joked with their host families, laughing when teased.
It hasn’t always been easy, though.
One of the five went home at the semester break. Another switched families when her first placement didn’t work out.
The COVID-19 pandemic at times made it difficult to make friends. They couldn’t gather in large groups with their classmates. They couldn’t hang out at football or basketball games, or go to dances. All of them played sports, which made it a little easier to form relationships with their teammates.
