Foreign Exchange Program creates opportunities

New halls full of unfamiliar people each week, immersion into a culture unknown to them and into a language they posses a limited knowledge of. They come to learn more about education in different regions and to experience another nation’s lifestyle. Some come for adventure, some come for knowledge, all come with the hope of understanding modern US culture.

In the last week, two temporary international student placement programs took residence at FC.

Alumni Adam Lee co-founded AmeriStudent, a foundation focused on the introduction of foreign exchange students into American culture, after housing a German exchange student in HS. Since then, the program expanded to include cooperation with schools across the country and now places students throughout California and the East Coast.

Lee says the program provides international student with a ideal environment and in the case of FC, exposure to the Christian faith.

The other program, Harbor Education, introduced four 7th graders and two seniors to building 6. The students of the second program shadowed the school’s students for a full week.

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The Harbor Education program offers International students the opportunity to journey across the US and tour the nation’s education facilities and institutions as well as several key landmarks and tourist attractions.

Principal Amy Deffenbacher says that the presence of both programs not only impact the international students but gives FC students the opportunity to consider their behavior and to share Christ.

​”For FC students, I think it is an opportunity to break out of our normal routine,” Deffenbacher said. “It forces us to consider how we are perceived by others and also challenges us to be welcoming and accommodating. We don’t know about the spiritual status of these students, so I would hope that we would also view it as an opportunity to share our faith in action. This may be the first or last time some of them hear the name of Jesus. For the international students, it exposes them to our school systems​ and culture. Some of the younger ones may be considering whether or not to return to the US for future schooling.”

Both Su and Sun originate from the city Shen Zheng. Su says her home city, just outside Hong Kong draws eyes due to the area’s lush foliage and visually appealing landscape.

“It (Shen Zheng) is beautiful,”Su said. “It is a friendly city  and is also right next to Hong Kong. It is also one of the most important cities in China and has a huge population.”

One of the most significant differences between the US and China rests in the education system. Su and Sun experienced a ten hour school day where teachers rather than students transitioned from classroom to classroom. The academic schedule also required much more studying with very little free time allotted to them during both school days and the weekend.

In addition, all students wear uniforms at her private school and girl’s are not allowed to wear skirts and must wear their hair in pony tales or braids. Schools also do not allow make up of any kind.

Su says the education systems stand as perhaps the greatest difference between the two cultures.

“There are a bit of different things about America, especially the education,” Su said. “In Shen Zheng, I have 8 classes every day in school, and each class has only 45 mins. We also only have one classroom because teachers will come to the class room when it is his or her classes. There is not anything that is really the same. The time,the way that students have classes is totally different.”

Food also stands as a major difference between the two cultures. Su says she noticed a lack of spicy food in the American diet.

“For me, I am a big fan of spicy food but I cannot find a lot of spicy snacks in the supermarket,” Su said. ” In China there are a lot of spicy foods but here it is more difficult to find real spicy foods. Spicy food is probably the biggest difference between Chinese and American food. We have tried chicken, Panda Express and a sandwich in America so far. It was all very good but it wasn’t spicy.”

Next the students plan to tour Stanford and later LA and Hollywood.  Both express excitement about Hollywood in particular and hope to see some of America’s star actors and actresses.

In the future, both girls plan to study abroad in California because they enjoy the culture and the weather. At the end of the week Sun and Su exchanged presents with the students they shadowed and wished them a warm goodbye.

For another features article read Russell L. Williams emphasizes ethics, credits success to God.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @skylerklee and via Email: Skyler Lee.