This fall, GA welcomed a group of exchange students from Colegio Internacional Europa in Sevilla, Spain. For several weeks, the students lived with GA host families, attended classes, participated in extracurricular activities, and fully immersed themselves in the daily life of GA students.
“I hope that we can provide the best experience possible for the Spanish students when they come here [and] I thank the whole community for engaging and cooperating at a tremendous level,” Upper School Spanish teacher and Spanish Exchange Program founder Carlos Chubb said.
The Spanish exchange program was created to foster bonds across different cultures and create an environment for students to thrive in a new place with the help of the whole community.
“I can get to know people even though I am talking in a whole different language,” exchange student Lola Torres ‘28 said.
Typically, in Sevilla, the school days are longer, from 9 to 5, with more emphasis on education than sports, so they don’t have as many sports options or opportunities as they noticed GA does.
“My favorite class here is chemistry because I really like Mr. Kraynyak,” exchange student Paula Cazrola ‘28 said.
The exchange students faced several challenges, including navigating a new campus, adjusting to GA’s seven-day rotation schedule, and managing the responsibilities of living away from home. To overcome these challenges, they relied on support from their host students, families, teachers and members of the GA community to help them adapt to the new environment and daily routines.
“For me, it was the GA [Under the Lights Football] game. That night was magical; it was like the movies,” exchange student Lucia Mesa ‘28 said.
GA is also a more tight-knit community with more community time compared to schools in Spain, where they study for eight hours straight.
“Yeah, it’s so fun. It’s so eye-opening. It really opens up your mind to how everything works here in the US,” exchange student Marta Munoz ‘28 said. “It’s really different from Spain, and I really recommend it to everybody.”
The exchange students noted that GA’s rotating schedule allowed them to meet a wide range of classmates, which was different from their school, Colegio International Europa, where their classes consisted of the same classmates throughout their day.
“Every day you meet new people. They are always open to talk to you,” exchange student Lucia Sanchez ‘28 said.
The host families played a key role in the exchange program, offering students a firsthand experience of American home life, school routines and social activities. During their stay, the exchange students also traveled to New York and attended a Phillies game with their host families.
“From the beginning, I have been comfortable with my family,” exchange student Manuel Pastor ‘28 said. “If there has been some issue, I just spoke with them and we sorted it out together.”
By the end of their stay, the Spanish exchange students had not only built friendships but also gained a new perspective on culture, community, and American life. They were welcomed into their homes and classrooms with open arms.
This exchange program bridges international cultures and creates lasting connections between students and families.
“I feel like it’s been very rewarding. My Spanish level has definitely gone up, and some of my friends noticed my pronunciation has been better,” host student Alex Hochhold ‘28 said. “And I have a friend that I can hang out with all the time.”
As the host students prepare to travel to Spain in early March, they anticipate reconnecting with their exchange students and meeting their families, mirroring the experience of the Spanish exchange students at GA.