Mariah McQueen

STUDYING. Foreign Exchange students Slivia Brunati (Middle Left), Im Chatkittichai (Middle Right) and Gabriel Ferreira-Guerra (Second from right) study during their advisory period with Senior Christopher Brown (Right) and Micah Underwood (Left).

Every year Fort Osage High School opens its doors to a few students from around the world to study and experience our culture. And every year in return the students that have lived in the U.S. their entire lives get to learn about some of the cultural differences from other countries. This year we have four exchange students; Silvia Brunati (Italy), I’m Chatkittichai (Thailand), Oskar Rosenkrantz (Denmark), and Gabriel Ferreira-Guerra (Brazil).

According to Statista.com 948,519 students from more than 200 countries of origin studied in the U.S. during the 2021-22 school year which is a four percent increase from the previous year.

Silvia Brunati plays varsity volleyball and is also a member of the Fort Osage broadcasting team. Senior Silvia Brunati feels that Fort Osage has a lot of sports opportunities.

“I prefer this school [over my school back home] because in [this] school we can do sports. I play volleyball here and I don’t have to pay, and in Italy we only have clubs.” Said Brunati.

While foreign exchange students stay in their country of choice, they stay with volunteer families called host families.

I’m Chatkittichai (Eem Chat-kit-ti-chI) has been dancing since she was ten years old and has no intention of stopping anytime soon. Senior Im Chatkittichai expresses her opinion on the cultural differences between Thailand and America.

“In Thailand everyone [is] like polite but like here we can speak everything that we want to speak, it’s freedom.” Said Chatkittichai.

Everyone has to have a visa to visit another country, the exchange students are no exception.

Oskar Rosenkrantz is a senior while studying abroad but in his home country of Denmark, he is a tenth grader with three more years left to go. Rosenkrantz shares his journey to America.

“I have to sign up for some website then I have to go through a bunch of interviews and then I have to go to the Denmark embassy and get a visa and now I’m here.” Said Rosenkrantz.

Three out of the four exchange students participate in various Fort Osage sports programs.

Gabriel Ferreira-Guerra is a center and defensive mid-field player for the Fort Osage varsity soccer team. Senior Gabriel Ferreira-Guerra explains what school is like for him back home.

“In Brazil school starts at 7 and finishes [at] 11:30 and I have only 5 classes in one day.” Said Ferreira-Guerra.

Foreign exchange students have an opportunity to experience something different, make new friends, and start new beginnings. They will return to their home counties at the end of this school year.