There are three foreign students in West Windsor experiencing and enriching their lives through the Youth For Understanding exchange program. Also Daniela Pazmino, a junior at High School South, who spent six weeks in Germany and six months in Holland through the program. Fabian Stuermer-Heiber, Teresa Martinez, and Oskar Roenn are all high school students participating on a year-long exchange with YFU. All three students have jelled very well with the high school and community.##M:[more]##
“Our three international students have been excellent ambassadors for their countries,” says High School North principal Michael Zapicchi. “They have assimilated into school life and have offered valuable insights based on their experiences in our system of public education compared to the systems in their home countries.”
Fabian Stuermer-Heiber, 17, is from Germany. “I will never forget the day I came here. August 14th, 2008. My first time in the famous USA, the land of the boundless possibilities. I had arrived to experience the culture, the `American Way of Life’ and everything I heard so much about. Looking back now after seven months I can say I’ve accomplished what I wanted, but also much more. Staying in with my wonderful Chinese-American host family taught me also a lot about Chinese culture and visiting the other guys and their Indian-American families gave me an idea of Indian culture. Instead of one, I got to know three different cultures. And that’s what I like most here in West Windsor Plainsboro; it’s a perfect example of the ‘melting pot,’ the basic philosophy of the United States. My spare time left here will melt quickly, but I’ll always remember all the experiences I collected in this most exciting year of my life!”
Oskar Roenn, also 17, is from Denmark. “Being an exchange student is something special. Exchange students leave their home, family, and friends to enter a completely new life to live with another family. I got my family two days before my flight took off and I had absolutely no idea how my family was before leaving Denmark. I was worried, but the entire program is about having the courage to take the step to enter something totally new. I had absolutely no idea how it would be, but I luckily ended up in the best family with the best host parents and a host brother at the same age as me, which made everything a lot easier. In the start it was very hard and I missed home, but after I got to know my host family and got used to my new everyday-rhythm, everything just got normal after a while and the time just flies away. It has been a lot of fun getting to know other cultures and perspectives; especially Indian because of my host family which I never thought of I would ever learn. I have now been here for about seven months and the time has gone by so fast. It seems like yesterday I was standing in the airport entering a new life and now I don’t want to leave.”
Teresa Martinez, 18, is from Mexico. “Learning a new culture, new traditions, making new friends, discovering new things about myself are some of the things and expectations for the exchange this year, but I not only learned that, I gained much more. I got to be with an Indian family and learned from them their values. The opportunity of coming to the United States and meeting all those legends came to me seven months ago, but it seems like it was yesterday when I came to this country full of hopes and dreams, which became facts later on and will stay with me forever.”
Daniela Pazmino of West Windsor says: “When I received the phone call saying I won a scholarship to become a YFU exchange student, I was ecstatic. Knowing I would travel to a new country all alone not knowing the language or anyone frightened me. But I knew that this experience would change my life. I was an exchange student in Germany for six weeks, and an exchange student in Holland for six months, not knowing what I was in for and trying hard to have no expectations. I did know I would learn many great things. In contrast, I learned way more than I thought. I was extremely lucky for having the chance of traveling to six different countries. I was enriched with new cultures and languages. I learned so much about cultures, the world, and myself. I had two great host families who truly became part of my family. I met tons of new people and made many new friends. This experience opened my eyes to many new ideas and changed me in a positive way. I would honestly recommend this excellent experience to anyone. I could truly say this experience was completely life changing.”
“Daniela’s story tells the other side of the exchange program, the American Oversea program,” says Shirley Cai, a resident of West Windsor and the YFU Princeton area representative. “ Our WWP community benefits from hosting international students in our schools, as well as sending our own students to other countries through YFU.” Based on the success of these current exchange students, YFU is looking for host families in the community for 2009 exchange student placements. For information about hosting a student, sending your child abroad as an exchange student, or becoming a mentor, visit www.yfu-usa.org, or contact Chhaya Somani at 848-248-6954 or E-mail chhayasomani@hotmail.com.
