The experience of an exchange student

Courtesy

Concepcion Martinez Olivares (third from right) takes a group picture with her host family at the recent rodeo at Kay Yeager Coliseum.

Time goes fast. One day you are with your family and friends in your home country, and the next thing you know is that you are lost in one of the several corridors of Memorial High School trying to find your next class.

Living one year abroad without your family and friends in an unknown environment can be a thrilling but an amazing experience. 

My name is Conchi, and I am a foreign exchange student from Spain. I am going to stay in Wichita Falls this year. I will be doing my junior year in Memorial High School. I am one of the four foreign students here. 

The first thing that I noticed when I arrived in Texas was its climate, so hot at this time of the year. The second thing that I noticed was the natural kindness of the people.  Most of the people I have met since my arrival have been very polite, kind and respectful. They are always willing to help you in whatever they can, especially the teachers. They teach with passion and they are really willing to really help their students.

One thing that surprised me about American high schools is their school spirit, which is so strong and important. There are a lot of sports and arts events that unite people. Everyone gathers together to support the school in all types of sports or activities. Here almost everything revolves around high school and clubs. 

One of the most important events here is football. This Friday is going to be the first football match of the season. I can’t wait to see it. I am excited and ready to root for the team. So far, “High School Musical” did not lie about American high schools.

Another thing that was a cultural shock to me was the size of everything. Here everything is so big, supermarkets, shops, gyms, high schools. The first day it was so difficult to find my classes, I got lost so many times.

The classes are also so big and amazing, they have everything students need to work and develop their skills and interests. There are a lot of creative and fun subjects that students can choose to do. Here I really feel motivated to try out new things and give my best in all the projects and subjects. 

The food and my diet here is very different from Spain. There are infinite flavors of everything and an insane amount of cereals in the stores. I have tried some things and they are good, but sometimes I really miss Spanish food (Spanish omelet, Iberian ham, tapas). There are a lot of fast food restaurants with lots of food and drinks to have, the first day I tried so many flavors. Restaurants here are so big and the customer service is amazing.

At the beginning, getting used to another language, a new diet, a new school and a completely different lifestyle can be a little bit hard, but with patience and perseverance, it can be achieved. You just have to be open-minded and try to get the most out of this experience.

I am really happy to be able to get to experience this community and lifestyle firsthand. I am learning a lot from everyone and also learning a lot about myself.