Worldwide Warriors: Foreign friends arrive at Wasilla High

WASILLA — Once limited to the wealthy, travel and foreign exchange are now possible through school-specific programs and organizations such as Rotary International, the American Field Service, and the Council on International Educational Exchange.

Wasilla High School is host to five international pupils this year, hailing from Spain, Japan, Russia, and Brazil.

Ana Lasoda, Chiratchaya Fongsai, Nao Uema, Kirill Bordashevich, and Victor Sayar De Queiroz E Oliveria came to Wasilla High through private organizations and will attend all year. Legally, 1 percent of the school’s population can be comprised of students studying abroad. For WHS, that means 13 possible additional Warriors.

“I personally love having exchange students because they can bring a different perspective,” said Japanese teacher and head of WHS exchange programs Carla Swick. “It’s a passion of mine. I think that’s what keeps me teaching.”

Swick was an exchange student herself during her teens after being inspired by a Swedish student. She now leads Wasilla High’s inter-school exchanges with the Rose Urban-Rural Exchange Program and Takefu Higashi High School, Wasilla High’s Japanese sister school.

However, not everyone’s involvement is as dramatic as Swick’s.

Peter Kamilos, teacher and host parent at WHS, has hosted exchange students for years without ever embarking on an exchange himself.

“My wife and I both come from houses that are pretty international in flavor,” said Kamilos, explaining that their families hosted students in the past. “Since we couldn’t go, we brought the world to us.”

Kamilos is currently hosting Bordashevich and Uema, students from Russia and Japan respectively.

Living with people from far off places with hard-to-say names accounts for more than just another anecdote to share with grandkids. It creates a broadening of self. Exposure to a world different than your own inspires new traditions, thoughts and art. It throws new foods and new people to share it with into your life. According to Kamilos, you also “get an international appreciation for art and creativity.” More importantly, though, it brings self-evaluation and a sense of global and cultural awareness. Immersive travel in particular can provide an excellent way to hone language skills.

“I wanted to be an exchange student to improve my English and make new friends,” said Russian student Kirill Bordashevich.

Bordashevich isn’t alone in this. There are 6,500 languages spoken worldwide, and English isn’t on the tip of everyone’s tongue. In fact, it ranks third on the list of the most widely spoken with only 335,000,000 speakers in a world of 7 billion.

“When there are four languages being spoken in one house, you have to take time. It makes you more conscious of what you say,” Kamilos said. “It takes time and patience — communication is important. One of the things Americans don’t realize is that to make it in this world you need to be bilingual, even trilingual. Having an understanding of languages changes the way you understand the world.”

Although exchange programs are designed to expedite and encourage international student travel, there are still prerequisites.

“I had to pass an exam in English,” said Bordashevich. “There was paperwork, the usual.”

Most high school exchange programs prohibit students that are 18 or would turn 18 during their time away from participating. American Field Service, college study abroad, and other international programs don’t have such age restrictions, but visas and passports are required regardless of chosen traveling path.

Learning another language may seem daunting to students in educational systems where study isn’t mandatory, but the price is small compared to what can be gained.

“What do you learn from studying abroad? You learn to be a survivor,” said Swick. “You will become a stronger person through exchange. If you can get someone to pay for your year abroad — put yourself out there!”

For more information, contact Carla Swick at carla.swick@matsuk12.us; or Debra Bushnell from Wasilla Sunrise Rotary at 907-715-4288, email: deb.bushnell@hotmail.com. For additional information and resources, peruse afs.org, ciee.org, or Wasilla Sunrise Rotary’s site ye5010.org. Check out nsliforyouth.org for scholarship information.

Jasmyn Green is a senior at Wasilla High School who wants to be anywhere but Alaska.