Foreign exchange students come from globe’s far reaches
October 9th, 2008Although Sibley East’s four foreign exchange students come from all parts of the world, their reasons for studying in the United States are the same. They want to learn about American culture and learn English better.
Anna Dreismane of Latvia, Nurlan Turapbay of Kazakstan, Peitro Mantilla-Beretta of Italy, and “Alex” Kwong Chung-Yin of Hong Kong, are attending Sibley East High School for the 2008-2009 school year.
Dreismane is being hosted by the Beth and Joseph DuFrane family of rural Henderson. Mantilla-Beretta is being hosted by the Becky and Terry Shogren family of Gaylord. Turapbay and Chung-Yin are being hosted by the Duane Deno family of Gaylord.
Anna Dreismane
Dreismane, 16, is enrolled in Grade 11 at Sibley East High School. She is participating in the AFS exchange program.
“My sister was an exchange student, and my parents thought it would be good to learn how others are living and learn English,” she explained.
She lives in Ozolnieki in Latvia, a city about the size of Arlington. The climate is similar to Minnesota, but not as cold as here, she said. Back home there are “small mountains,” and the land is not as flat.
At Sibley East, Dreismane is enrolled in biology, basic foods, phy ed, English, study hall, economics, algebra, and Spanish. She is a member of varsity Girls Tennis team at Sibley East. She would also like to try playing softball.
In her homeland, Dreismane said that her school is three times the size as Sibley East. “We have the same classes every day,” she said. The students don’t get to choose their classes, only between the German and Russian languages, she said. When she returns to Latvia, she will have to attend two more years of high school.
Nurlan Turapbay
“I want to learn the culture of America, learn English, become independent, and meet new friends.”
Those were some of the reasons by Turapbay decided to become a foreign exchange student. He is participating in the CET USA exchange program.
Turapbay is from Astana, the capitol of Kazakstan. The city has a population of about 700,000. The land is flat, but there are many large buildings, he said.
Sibley East is different than his school back home. In Kazakstan, he attends school six days/week. He is with the same students all day, and the teachers change classrooms. Turapbay said that the teachers are friendly at Sibley East. Back home he played soccer. He plans to join the Sibley East basketball team.
Turapbay is enrolled in algebra, study hall, physical education, world history, managing big game, living on your own, chemistry, and English.
Peitro Mantilla-Beretta
Mantilla-Beretta, 16, is enrolled in Grade 12 at Sibley East. He is from Varennu, a small city of about 1,500 people, that is located about 60 kilometers from Milan. He is participating in the AFS exchange program.
While the land is flat here, Mantilla-Beretta said that he lives on mountains by a lake. At his school back home, he stays with the same students all day, but there is a different class schedule every day. In Italy, he attends school six days per week from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“We don’t have a locker room,” he said. Classes are one hour long in Italy, while here they are about 45 minutes.
At Sibley East, he is enrolled in English, business applications, economics, chemistry, physics, analysis, phy ed, and study hall.
He is a kicker for the football team, and he may possibly try basketball and track. Mantilla-Beretta said that he may also try to play with a soccer team, because he plays soccer in Italy.
Kwong Chung-Yin “Alex”
The climate is one of the major differences between Hong Kong and Minnesota for Chung-Yin.
The recent fall weather has been cold for him, he said, but he is also looking forward to seeing his first snowfall.
Chung-Yin, 17, will be 18 in mid October. He is used to living in a much more crowded area, with a population of seven million.
In Hong Kong, Chung-Yin has different classes every day. School is held five days per week, and sometimes six days. “I think the lockers are big at Sibley East,” he said. “Back home the locker is too small.”
At Sibley East, he is enrolled in English, physical education, economics, study hall, family living, algebra, accounting, and basic chemistry. When he returns home, he will have one year of high school left.
Chung-Yin does not think that he will be participating in sports at Sibley East. He likes to play badminton and soccer.
In the future, Chung-Yin said that he would like to attend college in the United States.
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