Traveling to a new country and experiencing American culture defines the journey of an exchange student. Students studying abroad are brave to adventure into a new environment while managing the difficulties of high school.

Anna Ori, a 15 year-old girl from Hungary traveled to the U.S. for the first time this year. She is attending Lakeridge High School through an exchange program called CCI Greenheart.

“Everything is different! The smallest house here is the biggest house in Hungary,” Ori said about the large neighborhoods and cities in Oregon.

The U.S. is starkly different than other countries. Our classes, friendliness, and especially our food have been shocking to Anna.

“Meals and cinema popcorn are so big,” Ori said, “In Hungary we don’t even eat breakfast or dinner!”

Unlike the U.S. education system, in many other countries language is a required class. Ori has been learning English and Hebrew for four years.

An exchange student from Poland, Michael Kot, is attending Lakeridge High School as a senior this year. He appreciates his kind host family, the Regans, and he is enjoying his first time in America.

Amicos, a Catholic program, has brought Kot to Oregon. Michael will be studying here for a year.

“The best part of Lakeridge are the people in general”, Kot said, “and the spirit of the school.”

Both Ori and Kot agree in saying that though English has been difficult to learn, and is still challenging to understand, their experiences as an exchange students have been positive.