FOUR EXCHANGE STUDENTS ATTEND MCC

By Crystal Reith Four foreign exchange students have been warmly welcomed to the United States and are beginning their academic year at MCC. Eloise Steiner, Antonina Godlewska, Ophelia Baczek, and Aubin Licht have joined the senior class and are eager to experience American high school life firsthand. Hosted by local families, these students bring diverse cultural perspectives to the MCC community, enriching the learning environment for all. As they embark on their senior year in America, they will not only attend classes but also participate in school events, extracurricular activities, and the traditions that make MCC unique.

Eloise Steiner - Grimbergen, Belgium For 17-year-old Eloise Steiner, a foreign exchange student from Belgium, her time at MCC has already been filled with memorable firsts and eyeopening cultural experiences. Steiner said she has felt welcomed and is enjoying both her time in school and at home with her host family. “I really love going to school here and spending time with my host family,” she said. “We do a lot of things together, which makes this so fun.”

Steiner arrived in the United States on August 15 and is living with the Tim and Shannon Rhodes family in Slayton. “My first impression was how nice everyone is here,” Steiner said. “People say hello and start conversations, which is something we don’t really do in Belgium. Even in school, everyone is so friendly and helpful.”

At MCC, Steiner is involved as a cheerleader for both the junior varsity and varsity football and volleyball teams. She hopes to participate in a spring sport as well, though she hasn’t yet decided which one.

Steiner noted that the American school experience is quite different from what she’s used to in Belgium. “The subjects, daily schedules, and the role of sports in school are very different,” she said. “There are so many little things that are different, and it’s fun to discover them.” Steiner has also noticed a difference in cuisine in America versus Belgium. “Everything is big!” she said. “Food portions are bigger and in general, there’s a lot more food to choose from. I heard a lot of people say that, but it was still surprising when I came here.”

Steiner heard about her father’s exchange experiences as a young girl and as she got older heard more and more people talk about the exchange experience. “Everyone said it was one of the best years of their lives,” said Steiner, who views the experience as a way to grow personally and gain independence. “I used to be a very shy and closed-off person. After just a month here, I already see how much I’ve opened up. Doing an exchange year is the best opportunity to become independent and learn from other cultures. I can only encourage others to do it too.”

During her time in America, Steiner hopes to travel around Minnesota and neighboring states throughout the school year. She also looks forward to making even more memories during her exchange year. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Steiner said. “You gain so much from an exchange year - friends, a second family, independence, knowledge about America and its culture and traditions. I’m so glad I made the decision to do an exchange because I’m already having the best time with the best people. I can’t wait to experience more of these beautiful moments.”

Antonina Godlewska - Warsaw, Poland For 16-year-old Antonina Godlewska, attending high school in the United States has been a long-time dream, one inspired mostly by movies. Godlewska arrived in August and is spending the academic year with the Tim and Shannon Rhodes family of Slayton. “I always dreamed of coming to America, mostly because of movies,” she said. “They made everything look so big, exciting, and different from Poland. I wanted to experience that kind of high school life you see in films and also improve my English. I also really wanted to have a family on the other side of the world.”

While she imagined American life to be fast-paced and city-driven, Minnesota has surprised her. “Minnesota is actually super chill,” Godlewska said. “People wave to each other on the street, which is so different from Warsaw. MCC is smaller than I imagined, but that makes it easier to get to know people. My private school back home was a little stricter. MCC gives me more choices for classes and activities.”

Since arriving, Godlewska has embraced life at MCC by joining the cheerleading team and attending school events like football games, homecoming, and spirit week. “The school events are my favorite part,” she said. “It feels like a movie scene sometimes. In Poland, especially at my school, we don’t have those kinds of things, so it all feels really fun and new.”

Godlewska plans to join the golf team in the spring and continue supporting friends at school activities throughout the year. She’s also excited to experience American traditions like Halloween and Thanksgiving, which aren’t celebrated in Poland. At some point, she also hopes to go fishing and try skiing. “I’ve learned that I can adapt faster than I thought,” she said. “I’ve also learned so many new English phrases and slang words.” While she admits that it’s not easy to be away from home, she is grateful for the opportunity to explore new places. “It’s such a cool adventure and you’ll grow so much as a person,” Godlewska said. “I feel so lucky to be here. This experience is something I’ll remember forever, and I’m excited for the rest of the year.”

Ophelia Baczek - Frankfurt, Germany For Ophelia Baczek, the decision to study abroad in America was about more than just improving her English. “I wanted to experience a new culture and challenge myself by living in a completely different environment,” said Baczek, who hails from Frankfurt, Germany. “I also wanted to meet new people and see what everyday life is like in the United States compared to back home.” Since arriving in August, Baczek has been living with the Alex and Maike Houser family in Hadley. Her time at MCC has already been filled with new friendships, school activities, and eye-opening cultural differences. “America feels big. Everything from the roads to the food portions is larger than I expected,” Baczek said. “Minnesota is beautiful, and people are very friendly and welcoming. MCC is a really friendly and welcoming school. Before I came, I imagined it might be harder to make connections, but everyone has been so open and kind.”

Baczek’s favorite part thus far has been meeting new friends and experiencing school activities that are different from Germany. “School here is very different,” Baczek said. “There are more activities connected to school life, like sports and clubs. Back home, school is more focused only on academics.” The 15-year-old has become involved in volleyball and also plans on joining basketball. “I want to participate in more school activities and just live the high school dream life,” Baczek said.

While her planned exchange runs until February, she is considering extending her stay so she has more time to travel within Minnesota and other parts of the United States. “I’ve learned a lot about American culture and traditions,” Baczek said. “I’ve also learned how to adapt to new situations and communicate better in English.” She encourages others interested in exploring the world to just do it. “It’s not always easy, but it’s one of the best ways to grow, learn about yourself and experience the world,” said Baczek. “You will make unforgettable memories and lifelong friendships.”

Aubin Licht - Thionville, France For French exchange student Aubin Licht, this experience will give him the opportunity to discover and learn about America while improving his English. “American people have been really nice to me so far,” Licht said. “The mosquitoes are horrible, but that’s the only thing that is bothering me now. MCC is really fun, the school in general is more fun than in France. There’s a lot of different events and fun activities to do.”

Licht, a 17-year-old student, plays football at MCC and hopes to try some other sports during his time here. “Everything is based on sports here,” he said. “The school is proud to celebrate its team and to promote them.” Aubin noted that here, sports are practiced and played every day while in France, there’s practice two times a week and the rest of the time is devoted to homework. Another difference between the two countries is transportation. “The cars are big, maybe two or three times the size of European vehicles,” said Licht. “Gas is cheap here.”

While living with host family Marty and Lisa Wieskus in Slayton, the teen hopes to spend some time learning how to work on vehicles and work with different woods. “I’ve learned to be open to things people are able to teach or give me,” Licht said. “I’ve tried new foods, made friends, and gotten involved in traditions. I even got to go to the fair.” To others considering becoming a foreign exchange student, Licht encourages them to embrace the opportunity. “Just go for it,” he said. “Get out of your comfort zone and grow.”