The school welcomes students from all over the country and world as our population continues to expand year after year. Although everyone comes pursuing different ideas and motives, some seek the opportunity this country has to offer. 

Junior Maria Sopedra Montilla is one of the many foreign exchange students that are new to the school. 

“It’s just exciting, Montilla said. “I want to see new things and experience new things. In Spain we call it the ‘American Experience’.”

Coming from a small town on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, her hobbies include drawing and painting as well as skiing which she’s been doing since the age of two. She also wishes to study and pursue a career in digital art and animation. 

“I’ve been painting since I was like four,” Montilla said. “I’ve always liked art and I have really wanted to do that.”

In Spain most jobs require a high level of English and most of those jobs are a part of big American companies, especially in the career path Montilla desires. She’s always had an interest in visiting and studying in the United States, in order to better her English skills to aid her. So naturally, after having a friend of hers leave to study in the states, Montilla decided she too wanted to do the same.

“All Spanish girls always want to come to the United States because we see American movies and like Disney Channel,” Montilla said. “We want to live that life.”

Once she got in contact with the agency that served her friend, she was required to test and meet a certain level of acknowledgement to be eligible for foreign exchange. Then she was given a “dossier,” a book pertaining to information about herself and goals, which was necessary for her to fill out. 

“At first it was easy filling out the dossier, but then it was really expensive and my agency in Spain didn’t do a good job unless you pressure them,” Montilla said. “It was also really stressful because I didn’t get placed for a spot until August and usually other agencies already have students placed by April or May.” 

After the dossier was filled out, the agency in Spain got a hold of a foreign exchange agency in the United States and posted Montilla’s profile and information on their website. Before she knew it, a host family had requested to take her in.

“I’ve been here like a week or less and I already like my host family, they’re super nice,” Montilla said. 

Life in an unfamiliar place presents the challenge of adapting and assimilating to new aspects. In this case to the food, people, school system and there being no public transport. 

“The food here is different and heavier in a way, we have a lot of Mediterranean food with a bigger variety,” Montilla said. “We don’t have the same school system like here either.”

Montillo exclaims how she misses her country’s cuisine, summer parties and peers. 

“Teenagers are way different than her then they are in Spain, it’s a different kind of vibe, everyone is just nice,” Montilla said. “We have a lot of parties, so summer is just parties all the time. Even if you don’t know the people, you still party together.” 

Montilla offers all foreign exchange students that are new to the school a piece of advice. 

“The first few days are going to be super hard because you are in a new place, you don’t really know the language, you know no one here, and people are rude,” Montilla said. “So like, just take it easy and when time passes you will be making new friends like I am now.”

After this school year Montilla will return to Spain, where she will complete her final year of  “bachillerato,” otherwise known as senior year.