For many years, the Spanish student exchange program has been bringing together different cultures, languages and students across the Atlantic. This year, it welcomes two exchange students from its sister school, The Europa International School in Seville, Spain.
“I’m looking forward to learning about the [Spanish] culture,” sophomore Giah Sharf, one of two student hosts, said. “I think traveling is the best type of learning. It’s really important to be aware of the world around you, not just where you live.”
Sharf and her exchange student Marta Esteve Martín ’26 as well as fellow host Edie Leon ’26 and her exchange student Irene Ruiz Rincón ’26 all became involved in the exchange program out of a desire to learn more about different cultures and life in another country.
“We were very excited about improving our English, getting to know the culture, and [seeing] what school is like here,” Rincón said. “Our schedules are different and we have longer days, so it’s been fun learning all the differences.”
Though it’s Martín and Rincón’s first time in the United States, both of them are adjusting quickly and appreciating their stay here.
“[In Spain] our classes don’t change people and we don’t have free periods,” Martín said. “I’m really enjoying it here. I’ve met a lot of people, and I’ve been to some parties with friends. Everyone is so nice.”
Rincón added, “We also went to the football game last Friday, and we had so much fun.”
For all four of the participating students, the exchange program isn’t just a four-week stay in another country; it’s an opportunity to form close bonds with one another, as well as everyone else that they meet as they visit an entirely different country and culture.
“It’s kind of like having another sibling in the house. This isn’t just a person from another country coming over, this is like having another sister,” Leon said. “It’s also just like having another friend. It’s fun.”
Looking forward to the spring, Sharf and Leon will be traveling to Seville to stay with Martín and Rincón. Both of them are excited to become more familiar with Spanish culture and to be immersed in the language.
“I’m really looking forward to celebrating Semana Santa and just seeing what it’s like to live there,” Sharf said. Semana Santa, or “Holy Week,” is an annual celebration in Spain during the week leading up to Easter.
“I’m definitely looking forward to the food and definitely the desserts that they have. I just know it’ll taste better than food in America,” Leon said. “Spanish is really important to me, especially the culture, and I just wanted to see more of what it’s like in Spain. [I] also just [wanted] to make those memories and try something new.”