The Parkway School District is one of the most active districts in the state when it comes to hosting foreign exchange students. We have nine foreign exchange students new to South this year: Prince-Obed Balika from Ghana, Pietro Bertone from Italy, Mailys Da Vault from France, Monica De Santos Rodriguez from Spain, Niklas Hollemann from Germany, Hiroki Mori from Japan, Astrid Ringdal from Norway, and Mariana Rufino da Rocha from Brazil.

When talking to students, there was only praise about the foreign exchange program. Daniella Catanzaro, a senior, loves having a foreign exchange students at school.

“Having a foreign exchange program at South is super beneficial. Living in the Midwest we aren’t as exposed to different cultures and languages. St. Louis is pretty diverse compared to other cities in the Midwest. But let’s be real here, most of us are products of suburbia, and it’s an event when we get to go to the city, so the city’s cultural festivals and diversity don’t really help that much. As future adults, we need to know how to interact with cultures different from ourselves, as the world’s jobs become more and more globalized,” said Catanzaro.

Hima Kancharla, also a senior, thinks students benefit from having a foreign exchange program as well “We are being exposed to people from different cultures broadening our thinking, make us question your beliefs, evaluate our lives, and help us consider a different point of view,” she said.

The benefits of foreign exchange doesn’t stop with students, they also extend to the teachers as well. Jason Tiearney, a latin teacher at South, loves having a foriegn exchange student in his class. “It’s fantastic. I like that he is Italian because it’s the most connected spoken language to Latin. He has the experience of learning Latin at its birthplace where study of the Roman culture and it’s ancient language, Latin, is more emphasized ”

Math teacher Debbie Veatch is the overseer of AFS.  “People from South usually host which is always great. It’s like bringing the world home, and sharing your culture,” Veatch said.  

Leo Brandt, a senior, also enjoys hosting foreign exchange students, “The foreign exchange program has given me a chance, as an only child to finally have siblings that I have never had. I have hosted four years, and it’s really been rad,” he said.

The foreign exchange students are excited to be here. When asked about his favorite thing about the South community Pietro Bertone said, “Space! Everything is large and it’s so nice to see that houses, gardens, parks and schools are so big. Sometimes it’s even pleasant to get lost! Space (when you haven’t got a car) is also my least favorite. You can’t be independent: yesterday I went for a walk in Manchester road, imagine my face when I understood i couldn’t even cross the road, there’s too much space here for pedestrians like me.”

Mariana, from Brazil, says her favorite thing about America is “The food, it is delicious!”

Bertone agrees, “Americans are the best by far in this, even better than Italy!” said Bertone.

Though Parkway has a great record with hosting, it doesn’t do so well in sending students abroad. Mrs. Veatch says “The trend of South kids going abroad has been dwindling. In the last 4 years, we have had 2 South students go on exchange programs.” Parkway South has a scholarship program in place. South High students can get up to $3000 from Parkway South alone! There are also state and national scholarships sponsored by AFS-Missouri and the US state department that help students travel abroad such as NSLI-Y, Yes – Abroad, and the Congress Bundestag exchange program. If you are interested in studying abroad talk to Veatch.