Walking into Silver Creek High School, you would see exchange students all around the school. This year, the Silver Creek community greeted several exchange students from different parts of the world. These exchange students are coming to seek new experiences here at Creek!

Coming to the United States as an exchange student is life-changing. Doing a foreign exchange year is probably one of the hardest things they have done in their life. However, it is also the most valuable opportunity for these incoming students.

Helen Spille, one of the exchange students from Germany who is a Junior, explained that she likes being in Silver Creek. The goal of her exchange year is to experience American culture and meet new people

“[School] has been pretty good so far even though I got here two days late after the school has already started,” Spille said. “Environmental science is one of my favorite subjects…I think it’s interesting but it’s very hard at the same time.”

Ilenia Bungaro is a Junior exchange student who comes from Italy. She is going to be here at Creek for a full school year.

“I probably like all the activities and sports in the school. You can really choose from a lot of clubs and sports. That also helps you make some friends and community.” Bungaro said.

She enjoys spending so much time in Silver Creek because it gives a lot of opportunities for students to get involved in all the activities she has never had in her home country before.

Barbra Norrbom is a counselor at Silver Creek High School. She is also looking after some of these exchange students this year.

“What your host parents or some of your friends are doing makes you get a whole chance to see inside all the different things that those people do and you can hear about it and talk about it.” Norrbom said. “Due to the fact that exchange students are amongst so many new people, they may not have the support that they were used to so recognizing that their counselor is here to talk through anything.”

A lot of the time, getting involved in sports or performing arts helps the exchange students feel like they can make friends easily from the start, since they are thrown in with a group of people. Working with a team helps them get to know people faster. Moreover, all the counselors and adults in the building want school to be a good experience for all students.

It is a common thing for the exchange students to feel stressed or homesick when they face with new lifestyle that they’ve never had, studying anxiety, language barriers, and relationship issues. These are some of the major problems they have and not easy to overcome.

Magdeleine Des Moutis is an exchange student from France. She is currently doing her Junior year at Creek.

“I try not to put too much pressure on myself. I always keep in mind that everything is going to be okay. I’m being here for new experiences.” Moutis said.

The way Moutis handles her pressure could be a great guide for other exchange students who are struggling with adjusting to new surroundings and don’t know how to cope with the new environment. However, they should always remember that a counselor is always here for them.

Colorado can be a good spot for exchange students who like to be outdoors. You can just go enjoy a simple walk or run. It is also a positive place where everybody looks for possibilities of how to enjoy life.
“There are a lot of great opportunities if we know what your interests are so that we can maybe get people hooked up with those.” Norrbom says.
“I really like to go skiing. I’m so excited for skiing season here. I can’t wait until snow falls. I love it!” Spille said.

Colorado seems to be a good place for her to stay for a year since it offers so many good possibilities for skiing!
Silver Creek High School is more than glad to welcome these exchange students with open arms. We invite the students along to our community. Alongside this, these students are able to socialize with new people and also create lasting memories and journeys.