Learning by doing
Published 12:27 am Saturday, October 15, 2005
By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - There is no better way to experience something than to go and do it.
All six of the foreign exchange students at Niles Senior High School wished to come to the United States and see what it is truly like here and to improve their English speaking skills.
The six students come for a wide variety of backgrounds.
Jeong Hur, 17, is from South Korea. Marcela Palma, 16, and Cesar Ramos, 18, both hail from Mexico. Tina Kropfelder, 16, is from Germany. Matheus Santos, 17 is from Brazil and Lucy Tiao, 17, is from Taiwan.
Palma explained that at home she has to wear a uniform to school each day and there are a lot more choices of sports to play here in the United States.
Palma has become a member of the high school's competitive cheer squad, because at home they don't even have cheerleaders.
Tina Kropfelder agreed with Palma on the fact that everyone here in Niles has been extremely nice to her and the fellow exchange students.
Kropfelder added that what she likes most about Niles is the Riverfront Park area and Wal-Mart, which they don't have in Germany. She also likes Michigan's weather better than Germany's.
While in Niles both Palma and Kropfelder are living with Tom and Carla Shier.
Santos is living with Glen and Betsie Ditz, while in Niles.
The other students agreed with this saying other things were much cheaper here like clothes but in general the food was more money.
The students main reason for wanting to be a foreign exchange student in the United States was all pretty similar.
They all thought it would be a great opportunity for them to meet new people, have new and different experiences, mature more, get away from their home country and to improve their English.
Jeong Hur and Lucy Tiao, agreed with Ramos saying he has been able to make a lot of friends here and appreciates all the help he has received from everyone.
Hur is living with Rich and Abby Baxter this year, while Tiao is living with Harold and Mary Blann.
All of the foreign exchange students said being so far away from their family and friends is hard at first. The first two weeks in the United States was the hardest for them as they were trying to get used to being in a new place.
Once returning to their home country the students said they would likely encourages others to take part in a foreign exchange program.
While in the United States the students have been able to get a taste of what its like here as they have traveled to the mall, gone to the movies, took a spin on the roller coasters at Cedar Point, gone to the beach at Lake Michigan and watched an American football game.
The six students are looking forward to what the rest of the school year in Niles has to hold for them and the experiences they will have.