Two foreign exchange students are enrolled in Parkway West.
Sophomore Aaron Fuchs came 4,625 miles from Ravensburg, Germany to the United States.
“In Germany, it is every teenager’s dream to be able to have the opportunity to come to America, and I was lucky enough to have this once in a life time chance,” Fuchs said.
Fuchs moved to St. Louis on Aug. 2, and will be staying until June 2014.
There are a lot of differences between the United States and Germany according to Fuchs.
“The teachers here are much more laid back and friend-like in America. In Germany they are strict and more formal. Also, the food is very delicious, although it makes you fat,” Fuchs said.
In Germany sports are not played in school, they are played as a city.
“I like that in America, sports are able to be played as a school rather than individual teams,” Fuchs said.
Sophomore Manoela Moreira is a foreign exchange student from San Paulo, Brazil.
Her first day of attendance was on Aug. 20 and she is studying until January. Moreira is living with Meg and Stuart Haw.
“I came here alone, but I was excited to know that I was coming to study in America,”said Moreira.
Moreira’s school in Brazil did not change classes, required her to wear a uniform and night classes were mandatory.
“I was curious as to coming here but I am very comfortable now,” Moreira said.
Along with school, Moreira is a ballet dancer.
“In Brazil, I love to dance with my friends. Ballet is my favorite,” Moreira said.
Moreira is fond of her art class. She was also surprised to see that a cooking class was offered at school.
“I like the food here in America but I eat rice and beans everyday at home,” Moreira said.
Moreira has adjusted to the living conditions at the Haw’s.
“Manolea seems to be adjusting swimmingly, she enjoys interacting with our family and friends and loves West,” Meg Haw said.
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Stephen Rutherford • Sep 22, 2013 at 9:59 pm
Thank you for the great article. Aaron came to the US through a nonprofit called YFU which was founded in 1951 and has sent 250,000 young people abroad. YFU has students in every Parkway high school! Students at other schools are from Germany, Denmark, Japan and Korea.
YFU awards $1.6 million in scholarships every year to American high school students to study abroad. Check out the opportunities to live with a family during a summer, semester or year abroad. Visit the website at http://www.yfuusa.org. Parkway North has had scholarship winners in each of the last three years!