Lily Walewski 

Senior Lily Walewski just got back to McCallum after spending her junior year at a private Catholic school in Angers, France. Walewski was originally inspired to study abroad after learning her aunt studied in Ecuador when she was in her twenties using a program called AFS. After applying to that same program her sophomore year on a whim, it wasn’t until late summer that she was notified she was accepted to study in France. 

“To be honest, I was very iffy if I really wanted to go at first,” Walewski said.

After Walewski decided to spend her junior year abroad, she was set up with a host family. Once she arrived, she was set to live with the host family and attended the same school as them for 10 months. Walewski however, had a change of plans. When she arrived in Angers, she was met with an unfit host family and eventually had to change homes. Afterwards, Walewski bounced around from family to family toward the middle of her experience, which left her a little on edge. 

“You are supposed to stay with the same host family for all 10 months, but I had a really horrible host family and they had to pull me in December because I couldn’t stay there anymore,” Walewski  said. “From December to January I was moving around a lot because they couldn’t find another permanent family, so for about a month I was living with friends and with families that would take me for two weeks, and so on.”  

Walewski struggled specifically with moving around so much because the majority of the moving came around the holidays. 

“It was the hardest because it was Christmas time, and I remember I moved in with a new family the day after Christmas, and then I moved again on my birthday, January 4,” Walewski said. “When I moved in on my birthday, that was actually my host family for the remainder of the time and they were really great, I am actually still in contact with them to this day.”

Even though Walewski was dealt a bad hand when it came to host families, that didn’t stop her from experiencing France, enveloping herself in the culture, and making the most of her experience. 

“It really teaches you such amazing life skills like how to be uncomfortable, it teaches you a new language, new cultures, and it forces me to meet new people and how to be independent,” Walewski said. “I think a lot of kids experience how to live on their own in college and that’s why it can be such a hard transition so I am really grateful I got this experience because now I feel like everything seems a lot easier and I have a whole new perspective on life.” 

During Walewski’s time away, she experienced a whole new schooling system and level of education. Differences that stood out included the cafeteria food quality which she enjoyed, the dress code and improved level of fashion, and the lecture style teaching. Above all, Walewski appreciated the language and cultural immersion she was able to experience, especially since she was not fluent in French before studying in France. 

In the end, when asked if she would do the whole thing again, knowing all of the turbulence she encountered, Walewski said absolutely.

“100% I would do it again,” Walewski said. “I feel like my experience is really unique, but even knowing what happened I would still do it again in a heartbeat.” 

Sui Toma

After hearing tales of her mothers experiences studying abroad, junior Sui Toma decided it would be a good decision to follow in her mom’s footsteps and study abroad herself. Toma, from Okinawa, Japan, decided to spend her junior year staying with a host family in America, similar to her mom, who stayed with a host family in New York. Toma’s fascination with the culture in America and her knowledge of American arts and films like Zombies and High School Musical convinced her that she would enjoy a year in America. 

In Japan, students only have to take three years of high school in order to graduate. Since Toma has already completed two years worth of Japanese school credits, she decided to take a year off to study and learn abroad in America and then finish out her credits for the last year in Japan. Though the change in schooling and education is much different in America than it is in Japan, Toma also noticed some cultural and community differences that high school students in America tend to follow, whereas in Japan, it is not as likely.

On the second night of Toma’s stay in America, she and her host family attended the Austin Pride parade on Aug. 23. Toma thought the experience was very unique and fun to see, knowing the political activism of Austin, as well as America as a whole. 

“It was really fun to see the Pride Parade with my family,” Toma said. “I just think it was so unique and interesting, especially my first few nights here.” 

Toma also notices different practices such as eating during class, the type of attire some students choose to wear to classes, and practices that are common in Japan, such as taking off your shoes during class, that are not normalized in American culture. 

“It was really surprising to see other people eating snacks during school, listening to music a lot,” Toma said “And also everyone in Japan doesn’t want to show their skin, so no one wears tank tops, but in America everyone wears casual clothes and tank tops, and I like that.” 

Throughout her experience in America, since the first day she landed in Austin to the Shoal Creek Showdown game to just even getting an ice cream at Amy’s Ice Cream, Toma enjoys documenting her daily life on her social media for all her friends and family back home in Japan. 

“I am using my Instagram account to document my time here and show my friends in Japan,” Toma said. “I think they find it really interesting, almost like watching reality TV in a way.” 

Throughout her time in America, Toma will stay with McCallum senior Mira Patel. Patel, who is a second generation Asian-American, has been enjoying sharing aspects of her family’s Indian-American culture with Toma, such as food, daily life and art that can be displayed in their home. Toma finds that even though she was expecting to be overwhelmed by American culture upon her arrival, learning aspects of Indian culture that Patel and her family have introduced to her has been better than she could have imagined.

“I really enjoy their Indian-American food and I like the dhal that Mira and her family make,” Toma said. Dhal is a lentil soup that is typically served with rice and yogurt, and is a common cuisine in Indian culture. “I am actually a really slow eater, but dhal I will finish pretty fast.” 

Even though this is Toma’s first time leaving Japan, let alone all by herself, she finds the experience beneficial when it comes to learning how to be independent. As well as giving her freedom, Toma finds that traveling and learning new cultures was an aspiration of hers for quite some time. She even intends on working “holiday”, a common term used in Japan for a job that involves a lot of traveling, when she grows up. 

“I was really scared when I was leaving because this is the first time I have ever been out of Japan,” Toma said. “I was thinking I want to work in holiday, which is like working in foreign country, and I have always wanted to work in Australia or New Zealand, and I think that this experience will teach me how to travel alone.”

Andrea Stan Stoiceaux and Aitana Couceiro Bote

 After learning of the possibility to study at an American high school and experience all of the movie-like traditions such as football games, pep rallies, and so much more, Aitana Couceiro Bote and Andreea Stan Stoiceaux didn’t think twice about their decision to stay the entirety of their junior year at McCallum. 

“I have always wanted to do this [study in America] since I knew this was a thing I could do,” Couceiro Bote said. “It has been a dream of mine to live the American experience in high school and experience everything.” 

Even though Stan Stoiceaux was excited for the adventure ahead of her, she was still nervous upon arrival to the U.S. knowing that everything would be extremely difficult, especially the language barrier. 

“The first few weeks were kind of scary because I didn’t know anyone, and I didn’t know any of the buildings where my classes were, or any people or teachers but I am getting used to it, and I really like it,” Stan Stoiceaux said. 

A highlight for both girls was the Shoal Creek Showdown football game, as well as the pep rally because they had never experienced anything like it, and it is very uncommon and untraditional to have big games or gatherings in Spain. 

Couceiro however, favored the pep rally over the game itself.

“I really like it [the football game], but I don’t know anything about football and it was really hot outside but I really liked the pep rally, it didn’t even feel real,” Couceiro said. “I couldn’t believe it because it was just like in the movies.” 

When it comes to education in Spain versus in America, Couceiro recalled a harder curriculum and stricter rules in Spain, whereas American schooling seems more laid back and arts based. 

“In Spain, they are more strict with the homework and all of that stuff, but here they are a lot more relaxed,” Couceiro said. “If you are sleeping here [in class], they don’t even care, like they just let you sleep. I also think a lot of my classes are really artsy, and it’s not like that in Spain, it’s more like lecture style teaching.” 

Going hand in hand with what Couceiro said, the curriculum and material is also a lot more lax in America than it is in Spain. 

“In Spain there is a lot more material you have to learn, like I had to learn three units just for one test and here, it is a lot easier because you take a quiz, and the quiz prepares you for the test, and then the test is really easy.” Couceiro said. 

For Stan Stoiceaux, English has always been her favorite subject, both at school in Spain and at school in America. 

“I really like English actually, it is funny because I never thought I would actually get the opportunity to study here,” Stan Stoiceaux said.  “It’s funny that it has always been my favorite subject, and now I’m here.” 

During her time in America, Couceiro is most looking forward to traveling to other cities outside of Austin, and seeing the other cultures and scenery America has to offer. On the other hand, Couceiro is also looking forward to basic American activities she can find in Austin as well. 

“I would like to see other cities in America, and just other basic cities in general,” Couceiro said. “I also really want to go to a roller skating rink, I think that would be really fun.

Elliot Reiter

Elliot Reiter, originally from Berlin, Germany, has decided to spend the entirety of  his sophomore year staying with his aunt and uncle and studying at McCallum. Upon his arrival to the U.S., Reiter noticed some differences between the hospitality towards students in America versus students in Germany. 

“Here they really care about what the student wants in the future, and overall their life,” Reiter said. 

During his time at McCallum, Reiter will be playing JV football. Even though he is currently benched due to a concussion, Reiter still says the experience has taught him valuable lessons and brought him closer to his peers, which is something he is looking forward to upholding. 

“I think people here are pretty open and also super friendly. So I think that helped me especially to make more friends,” Reiter said. “I’m looking forward to improving my skills and playing football, but also keeping my grades up so I can play football.” 

Reiter also appreciates McCallum football because of not only the size, but the friends he was able to make that have become a part of his daily life here at McCallum. 

“I’ve gotten a lot closer with people to football, which in Germany is totally different because there’s barely any school teams, there’s just clubs you have to sign up for and pay for,” Reiter said. “It has an impact on me because it’s just totally different because you see the people that play on your team in your classes or in the hallways but you would never see that in Germany.”

Because Reiter is not studying with a specific program that transfers credits and sets up housing for each student, it has been up to Reiter and his family to provide housing, education and transportation, as well as transferring school credits from Germany to America. Reiter says he would not have been able to study in America if it weren’t for his aunt and uncle, who have done much to prepare for Reiter’s arrival. 

“She’s[his aunt] a really nice person, and even if she doesn’t want to, she still helps me with anything I need with whatever I’m doing. She did almost everything I needed for me to be here like all of the paperwork and what not.” Reiter said.

One major difference Reiter has noticed since living in America for a few months now is the weather. Reiter adds that in Germany, it is uncommon for the weather to be extremely hot or humid, but is more cool with a breeze. 

“The weather is also really different. It’s way hotter and humid, which in Germany just barely happens,” he said. 

For Reiter, even though this is his first time staying in the U.S. for more than just a holiday, he is already quite accustomed to American culture, seeing as though his dad is American, and he spends a lot of time in the U.S. with family and for holidays. 

“I don’t have any German traditions, mainly because my dad is American, so I have even celebrated American holidays like Thanksgiving here, so we don’t have anything like that in Germany,” Reiter said.

When asked if Reiter would stay longer than the given year, he responded no, saying it would be hard to be away from his family for so long. 

“Right now, I don’t think so because I miss my friends and family,” said Reiter. “Maybe throughout the year when I get used to it, but I don’t think I would even be allowed to because my mother barely allowed me to stay here for one year.”