Exchange Experience by Jack Pressgrove illustration by Mansi Patel ‘20
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avigating high school can be scary and difficult. With the additional hardship of being from a different country and speaking a different language, these four years can be even more stressful. Nevertheless, international students Katty Geng ‘20, Felicia Lan ‘22, Lissandra Li ‘20, Stan Shi ‘20, Jacky Wang ‘21 and Harry Zhao ‘20 have successfully transitioned into American high school life. While they appear to be like other high school students, they have unique experiences and challenges because they are over 8,000 miles away from their family and childhood friends.
What is your home city like?
KG: “Beijing is more like New York than Atlanta, but the weather and environment here are better.” SS: “Shanghai is a big city. The people there are not so friendly. You never really know a lot of people.”
Why did you decide to enlist in an exchange program?
LL: “My parents wanted to send me to America because there is very high pressure in Chinese high schools.” KG: “In my old school, we really focused on academics, and the students are very stressed all day. So, I thought it would be better to go to America to experience another culture.” HZ: “I just wanted to experience new things like being in a strange environment and meeting new friends.” SS: “There are a lot more opportunities here because not a lot of students can go to good colleges in China. It’s very competitive.”
What was the application process like, and why did you choose this school?
KG: “There are agencies in China that will help you find what school fits you. I chose Woodward because I heard that it was very diverse, and I liked the campus.” LL: “To apply for the exchange program, you have to get a high enough score on a language exam [TOEFL Test]. The agency told me about Woodward, so I researched the school and thought it was a good school for me.”
What was your school in China like, compared to here?
Harry Zhao ‘20 sits atop a mountain top in Xi’an, China. Photo courtesy of Harry Zhao.
Stan Shi ‘20
Lissandra Li ‘20
Katty Geng ‘20
FL: “In China, middle school was very stressful and had a lot of work. When we had a lunch break, lots of us would sleep because we were so tired.” LL: “The school was all day in China from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. with mandatory study hall after school. American students have a lot more time to do sports and other activities, but Chinese students do not have the free time to develop their own interests. A lot of students take extra academic classes after school.” KG: “I have more time to do stuff I like here because my school in China started at 7 a.m. and ended at 6 p.m. The
Jacky Wang ‘21
Harry Zhao ‘20
Felicia Lan ‘22
