The 2022-2023 school year is slowly ending with barely 2 months left, and WCHS’ exchange students are finishing up their term in the United States. Chapel was able to host many exchange students all from different countries. According to the exchange students, their stay here has been very enjoyable.

“I’d do this experience again cause it helped me to understand what really is important in life,” explains Junior, Paolo Miraldi, whose home is in Italy.

Sophomore Frederik Sauerwein is an exchange student from Germany who came to Wesley Chapel at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year. He explained how wonderful his experience has been and how we would love to complete another exchange year. “Almost everything what I experienced was fun and in general, I’m enjoying my time way more than I did in Germany”.

“As the name suggests, a foreign exchange student is a student who goes to a foreign country abroad to study and live as part of an exchange program. As part of their course of study, these students will enroll in classes at a local university or high school,” Bay Atlantic University explained in their article “Becoming a Foreign Exchange Student: Step by Step guide.” They are also encouraged to participate in extra curricular activities and hobbies.

There are many different programs where student can travel as an exchange student. For example EF (Education First) explains the benefits of the program,  “Go on a student exchange program abroad and open yourself to a world of opportunity. Our foreign exchange programs range from year-long exchanges to a full college program, including your diploma, at one of our accredited schools.”

The majority of the exchange students love their time in the United States but do have to adapt to a new culture, including different food, rules, and standards.

Sophmore, June Calderiolived in Spain before visiting Florida. There are many differences here in the U.S compared to Spain. June reveals, “Driving everywhere, fast food, all the different drinks, and more.” She described some things she would’ve changed. June stated, “My first host family and being more social, open myself to new people.”

Hosting is where a family hosts, or houses the exchange student. “It’s really nice because it is not like nobody is taking care of you, it actually feels like a second family. Even though it’s weird at the beginning,” continued June.

Paolo  described what a host family was like for him. “Having a host family can be hard at the beginning cause you’re living with people you don’t know at all but after time if you find good people its really a good experience and you live as in a real family.”

Some students get really lucky and are hosted by a family they already know, for example Frederik Sauerwein already knew his host family before becoming an exchange student. “To me I really like my host family, but I already knew them before I got here,” stated Frederik.

“I would/will definitely do another exchange year and I would recommend it to everybody who wants to have a new experience,” continued Frederik.