Exchange students reflect on time in Worland

WORLAND - While America was not their first choice, Worland High School's Rotary Youth Exchange students are excited to be in Worland and have enjoyed the opportunities a small school and small community have provided them.

Miki Eriksen of Denmark and Paveethida Ha-Upala (Namwan) of Thailand have spent this school year at Worland High School.

Miki said his sister went on an exchange. "I thought from what she told me it was the most amazing thing I could do for a year," he said.

He added that his dad joined Rotary after his sister went on her exchange. The family hosted a Japanese exchange student.

Namwan said she was interested after her family hosted an exchange student from Utah.

Both Miki and Namwan had selected other countries as their first choice - Australia for Miki and France for Namwan. They both selected the United States as their second choice.

Namwan said her second choice of the United States gave her an opportunity to improve her English.

Miki said, "I knew Australia would be hard to get into. It sounded warm and nice." He added, "I love it here. It's amazing. The people have been so nice."

Both Miki and Namwan are "seniors" at WHS this year, giving them the opportunity to go through graduation ceremonies May 22.

High school benefits

Principal Kevin Smith said having exchange students at Worland High School provides "a ton of benefits. First of all, to learn about somebody else's culture and the diversity that they have from another country is a remarkable opportunity."

He said the high school has been involved with the Rotary Youth Exchange Program as long as he's been principal and he plans on continuing that partnership "as we continue to get quality kids from a variety of different countries. It's quite a process and it's a great experience for both sides."

Smith said the Rotary has quite a process for the students to go through before they come to the United States. The process is designed to ensure the students have a positive experience.

He said the students are good at being involved in core curricular class as well as activities.

"They fit right into our student body," Smith said.

Miki is active in soccer, having played most of his life, and also ran cross-country in the fall. Namwan has been active in swimming, indoor and outdoor track (running distance). She also plays badminton when she can since she has played her whole life. Miki noted, "She's crazy good at it."

In addition to school activities and experiences with the families, the two have gone on a trip to Yellowstone, and just finished a fundraising international dinner to raise funds for a West Coast trip in June, prior to them heading home. The West Coast trip includes visits to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and San Francisco.

Both Miki and Namwan said they have enjoyed living in Worland and going to school at WHS.

"It's been better in a small town because you get to know everyone easier," Miki said.

Namwan added for her, with her early struggles with English, a larger school would have been harder to communicate so she has enjoyed being at WHS.

Namwan said the first three months were difficult. "It was hard part for me because my English is not good and I can't communicate with people. Everything is hard, but now everything is good, after I understood some English.

Miki said, "I've had an amazing experience all the way through. People have been really nice here and wanting to help. We've had a supporting Rotary Club. Whenever we've needed something there's been people to help."

Miki said he has enjoyed the scenery in Wyoming, especially the mountains, noting Denmark's highest point is 500 feet above sea level.

Namwan said the people have been friendly and she has loved the food here.

She noted that one thing that was different than she expected is people drive everywhere. "I thought people walked more," she said.

The two have stayed with several host families, rotating every three to four months.

Miki said the rotation provides an opportunity for them to get different experiences but also "to not give too much weight on host families so they don't have to have us the whole entire year."

Rotary Youth Exchange

Doneen Wolf, Rotary past president and Rotary Youth Exchange counselor said they like to have two inbound students come each year, and work to encourage area students to try the program abroad.

She said the Rotary Youth Exchange Programs in each country handles the application process for the students.

As for the host families, she said she's able to find most of them in the area by word of mouth.

The host families do have to go through a background check.

Wolf said she has some host families who host on a regular basis, but she tries to find new families each year to be involved.

As for the community acceptance of exchange students, she said, "The Worland High School kids are very accustomed to having exchange students. They get to be really good friends and stay in contact with them," Wolf said.

The program, Wolf said, "is great for our high school, it's great for our program and it's great for our community. Being in Wyoming our kids maybe don't get to travel internationally, so to bring those cultures here to the United States, to Worland, really broadens the thought process for our kids, as far as 'maybe I do want to travel internationally, maybe I want to work harder in school so I can have a career or education and travel. It's a great opportunity to learn different cultures."

She added, "It's making a difference one child at a time. When we talk about international peace, it's bringing our students and other countries students together and building those friendships so maybe someday we can have more peace in the world.

Host families

Glenda Blake has hosted two exchange students one from France and Namwan this fall.

She said she got involved when she was teaching at the high school and interacting somewhat with the international students, the paraprofessional encouraged her to be a host parent.

"I had lived abroad before I was married. I kind of understand what it's like to be in a foreign country and not speak the language. I'm kind of sensitive to that."

Blake said she has enjoyed both students. "I was leary of having a second because my first was so good, but I did. I feel very close to both of them."

She said two years ago she went to visit her exchange student's family in France.

Blake said, "It's just been a wonderful experience all the way around for me. I still keep in touch with the French student and I'm sure I will with Namwan, too.

Joe and Deb Winkler have been a host family for four different exchange students. Joe Winkler said their involvement in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program began after their children were grown and had left the family home.

"We had talked about it. We had seen the ads in the paper that occasionally said they needed host families," Winkler said.

"It's been a really good experience. We've learned an awful lot about the rest of the world and met some really great kids."

The Winklers are host families for Miki. Joe Winkler said Miki comes home each day and talks about things he has learned or did during the school day.

"I think they are getting a great chance to see what America is like. He comes from a town about three times the size of Worland so he's going from a great big city to a tiny town," Winkler said.

He said it gives people a chance to show how welcoming the people in Wyoming are. The students learn a tremendous amount from the students, staff and the host families.

Miki returns home July 12, Namwan June 25. Both would love to come back to America.