Pleasanton Students Embark on Foreign Exchange Programs

Traveling to another country provides limitless benefits to a person's knowledge and growth. Six students from Amador can testify to this claim after engaging in foreign exchange student programs during summer.

Senior Kirin Rajagopalan, for instance, traveled to the small, rural city of Barrio Porvenir in Paragaurí, Paraguay for 8 weeks. He took part in Amigos de las Américas, a cultural exchange program that recruits high school and college students to practice community service in Latin American countries. What he found unique about the Amigos program was that it didn't simply focus on "building things," but instead, gave him the opportunity to live and interact with the common people of Paraguay.

Rajagopalan worked on building 14 latrines, planting 35 trees as part of Reforestation Paraguay and leading camps for elementary school children.

Along with the sense of community that Rajagopalan acquired, the Amigos program also contributed to his personal development.

"I've sharpened my leadership skills, I'm less self-conscious, and all around I've become a stronger person," he says.

His time abroad also provided Rajagopalan with a new perspective on how to view the world.

"What I will miss the most are the people, the food, the sun rise, and the stars."

Barrio Porvenir, he said, gives a much clearer and gorgeous view of the stars due to the lack of pollution.

Rajagopalan says he is now inspired to get involved with other organizations that emphasize and encourage community development.

On the other side of the globe, senior Aditi Bommireddy ventured to Nagasaki, Japan for 6 weeks.

Along with receiving an eye opening experience to Japan, Bommireddy also developed long-lasting relationships with her host family, who she still keeps in touch with.

Among the authentic experiences Bommireddy had were meeting a ninja, a samurai, singing at a karaoke bar, and relaxing in an Onsen, known as a hot spring in Japan.

Bommireddy, who did not know a word of Japanese before her program, said that she had the time of her life.

Bommireddy received a full scholarship from Sony USA covering her travel expenses through the program, Youth For Understanding.

During the same time, junior Nayo Clinchard and seniors Kathy Yuh and Andre Chan participated in the Pleasanton Tulancingo Sister City Association (PTSCA) for eight weeks between June and July. The first four weeks, the students hosted teens from Tulancingo and shared Pleasanton's culture with them. During the last four weeks of the program, the Pleasanton students flew to Tulancingo to experience Mexican culture.

All three agree that it was a life changing program that taught them a great deal about people and the Mexican culture. It was also a great opportunity to cultivate their Spanish speaking skills to the extent that they have decided to continue studying the language in college.

Senior Alexandra Rosenblum also gained inspiration for post-high school plans after visiting the gorgeous city of Estepona, Málaga in Spain for two weeks. She says that the experience definitely beat her expectations.

"I loved how I got to be immersed in the culture instead of getting the tourist perspective. It definitely opened my eyes on how other people outside of America live," Rosenblum says. 

Her exchange program, Edu-Culture International (ECI)  motivated her to study abroad in Europe for college next fall. 

All these students were exposed to foreign cultural values that have fueled inspiration and a deeper understanding of people. While Bommireddy observed how Japanese students showed more respect to their teachers than American students, Chan adds that the Mexican youth are more independent and grateful for what they have.

Rajagopalan says everyone in Paraguay just seemed so much happier and courteous to one another despite living in poverty, and Clinchard recalls a visit to a supermarket in Mexico where every customer was greeted with a warm, genuine smile and a cheerful "good afternoon!"  

These kinds of discoveries encourage students to adopt a different life perspective, illustrating how other cultures function differently. From the enthusiasm and passion I witnessed in the eyes of these students during their interviews, I can tell that this summer provided them rich and valuable knowledge that they can apply to their lives and futures.

It is fortunate that there are plenty of foreign exchange student programs available here in the Bay Area. All it takes is a bit of research. A good place to start is the Foreign Language department at your local school, and the Internet is also a fine resource.

Application for these programs are fairly simple. If a student shows genuine interest in traveling and learning about another culture, that's all that really matters. Most programs ask for a minimum age requirement of 16 years.