Exchange students wrap up visit

By CARL E. FEATHER - Staff Writer - cfeather@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

June 02, 2009 12:02 am

— NORTH KINGSVILLE — Prior to spending a year in the United States, Mariana Rocha Leite subscribed to the stereotype of the lazy, overweight American.
Spending a school year with a host family in Conneaut, however, has changed the Brazilian teenager’s views.
“I don’t think they are lazy at all,” says the svelte 16-year-old, who also has modified her views on the overweight American image.
She recently joined two other exchange students — Thiwaporn “Wawa” Phruttiprasert of Bankok, Thailand, and Aya Takahashi of Kanagawa, Japan — to compare notes on their year in the United States.
Mariana’s hosts are Jeff and Rachael Merlene of Conneaut, and their children, Matt and Megan. Anna Fortney and daughter Kaylynn Knauff of Monroe Township hosted Wawa. Terri Katchur and Tony Tulino of North Kingsville hosted Aya, who attended Edgewood Senior High School with her host sisters, Tara and Taylor Katchur.
Although the three exchange students come from different nations, they share the same reason for wanting to spend a school year in the United States.
“Because I wanted to learn to speak English more,” Aya said. “Australia and the United Kingdom have accents, but I like (the American) accent, so I decided to come here.”
“I like American accent,” Wawa said.
Mariana said her brother spent time in the United States and gave his experience a positive review, which influenced her decision to try it. She has a sister who was an exchange student in the United States, as well. Mariana spent a month in the U.S. last year before deciding to return for a full school year.
Her father is a television reporter and her mother a government worker.
Wawa’s father is a banker. Aya’s father works as a public works groundskeeper; her mother works for a family company that makes socks.
Coming to the United States required months of planning, a lot of health checks and vaccinations and careful packing. Each student was limited to just 50 pounds of luggage.
They soon discovered that much of the clothing they brought from home was inappropriate to the climate of northeast Ohio. All of them have since acquired school jackets from the respective high schools.
They went through an orientation program prior to being placed with their families. They say the program taught them about American customs, fitting into the family structure and what to expect in school.
The young women say the most challenging aspect of their year was adjusting to being taught in English — they say Americans talk way too fast. While their written English skills were strong, comprehending the language spoken at a conversational pace was difficult. However, Aya said she did not find the actual school work more challenging than what she had experienced in Japan.
Aya, who had taken piano lessons in Japan, also had the challenge of fitting into a marching band within a week or so of arriving. She was at a disadvantage because she did not have the opportunity to attend band camp, so she had to learn the routines as well as the cymbals in a matter of days before their first football game.
For all of the students, the variety of extracurricular activities offered at their U.S. schools was overwhelming. In their countries, music education is typically provided through private instruction, not in a school setting. And even if there is a varsity sports team, the competition between school teams is limited.
The students say that one of the biggest cultural shocks for them was American teenagers’ fascination with body sounds and their blatant, unabashed practice of releasing them in public. “We don’t burp (in public),” Aya said. “Here, the boys and even some girls do. It’s so rude.”
Mariana said public nose blowing is frowned upon in Brazil. “You go to the restroom, by yourself to do that,” she says.
Aya says the practice of hugging is unknown in her country, even among family members. When she returns to Japan, she will greet her family with a handshake, but she will hug her host family good-bye.
Terri Katchur said she wanted to host a student so she could learn about other cultures. Because Aya is shy and had not mastered spoken English, it required a lot of patience and slow conversation to get to know each other. Rachael Merlene had the same experience with Mariana.
“We not only learned about her and her culture, it also taught us patience,” she says. “You learned how to break things down and take it step by step.”
The students will depart over the next few weeks. When Mariana, 16, gets back to Brazil, she will have to take a test to determine her eligibility for college, where she would like to study psychology. Aya will face five more months of study before she will be ready to graduate from high school. Wawa, the youngest of the students, still has her senior year ahead. All three expressed a desire to return to the United States for their higher education, but their parents will make the final call.
As they pack their bags to go home, each student has an American dietary selection they’d like pack. Aya would export chicken wings and taco salad; Mariana would pack lots of macaroni and cheese. And Wawa?
“I like everything,” she says with a bashful smile.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.