Southeast Polk High School has many programs to enhance your learning. One of these programs is the Foreign Exchange Program. Foreign exchange students take their learning abroad. Southeast Polk has many foreign exchange students throughout the year. One of these students is Diana Fiore, an exchange student from Italy.
Fiore is a Senior and came to Southeast Polk in January. She is studying here for the semester and will graduate in May.
“In my country there are five years of high school, so I have one more year at home,” said Fiore. Fiore is participating in track this year and hopes to try softball too. In Italy, sports including American football, softball, and many others do not exist. “There are a lot of sports here,” said Fiore. “They are very serious, too.”
Fiore first heard about studying abroad from a friend she met on vacation. “I decided to do some research,” said Fiore. There are two programs to choose from. Fiore chose the program where you pick which country to study in.
“I was curious about America, and wanted to improve my English,” said Fiore. Fiore was assigned to Iowa, and Southeast Polk, and waited to be accepted by her host family. The host family is given the students’ files which include their record. The family then goes through the many files and picks one student to live with them during their time here.
Coming to a new country is difficult and can be very different.
“It is hard to make friends because the school is so big,” said Fiore. In Italy, school is much different. Students stay in one classroom all day with the same classmates. “It is very boring,” said Fiore. Fiore’s favorite class so far is Anatomy. “I have an appointment with Iowa State University,” said Fiore. She would like to do veterinary practices after her graduation. “I have heard Iowa State has a good program for veterinary,” said Fiore.
Fiore’s favorite part about her time here so far is the food.
“It is very good, not very healthy, but I like it,” said Fiore. She also enjoys taking walks or runs on nature trails. “I like that there are more natural places, we don’t have that in Italy,” said Fiore. Fiore most looks forward to events like Prom and graduation. “I always see them in the movies,” said Fiore, “I think it will be cool to walk the stage in a cap and gown.”
Foreign Exchange students at Southeast Polk have a few requirements. Firstly, students must be at the age of 16 or older. This is because the students will be enrolled as seniors. Next, exchange students must be proficient in the English language before coming to Southeast Polk. Lastly, foreign exchange students must stay with a host family who lives within Southeast Polk District lines. To study abroad students have to go through an agency. Southeast Polk mainly works with three agencies.
According to the Open Doors Report on International Education, the US hosted over 1.1 million exchange students in the 2023-2024 school year. This report also states that only 280,716 American students studied abroad in the 2022-2023 school year. The choice to leave home to study in another country is a hard one, but has its benefits.
“It’s good to challenge yourself, you become very mature,” said Fiore. Studying abroad exposes students to new learning environments and different cultures. “All the things I am doing now I never expected to be doing,” said Fiore, “it is very good for personal growth.”
If doing a semester abroad interests you, talk to your counselor and do some research of your own.
