Some of the Flower Mound High School students are only in the U.S. for a year. FMHS has always loved having foreign exchange students, and this year, FMHS welcomed 11 exchange students with open arms. All of these students chose to come to America, and many of them are glad they got to stay in Flower Mound.

“FMHSis so huge that I had to have a map at the beginning because I couldn’t find anything. I love it though, and the people are kind,” junior Gabriela Toklowicz from Poland said.

Anyone who has ever stepped through the school doors knows that FMHS is a large school, but to foreign students it can be a huge shock.

“FMHS is a change for me, compared to my old school which only had 400 students,”junior Lena Yokoyama from Austria said.

Going to a big school can give students many opportunities to try new things or pursue their talents. Luckily, FMHS has many clubs and organizations for all students to try. FMHS has many course options: alternative languages, dance, choir, or orchestra and band. Most people have taken a class that they enjoyed going to everyday, and the exchange students also get a chance to take some of these courses, too.

“I love theater and choir; they’re so much fun, and I had a great time working on the Legally Blonde musical,” Toklowicz said.

Most of these students chose to come to America because of its publicity around the world. With all the positive and negative opinions about America, it can be difficult to pick a side to agree with.

“I really wanted to experience American high school, because we hear a lot about it on television. I wanted to make my own opinion based on experience,” junior Nadia Wabra from Denmark said.

Adjusting to new a culture can be hard for anyone, but add a climate which has temperatures sometimes exceeding 100°F, and it can be even more difficult.

“The food is very different; Americans seem to eat out a lot. The heat in August was unusual to me as well, because Denmark would still have snow,” Wabra said.

Taking on a challenge can be nerve-wracking, but the students were willing to try new things and meet new people.

“It’s scary being a foreign exchange student, but you meet a lot of nice people. However, I always have my host family to talk to. I love hanging out with my host family, because we are really close,” Yokoyama said.

Exchange students have the opportunity to meet other exchange students, and being able to talk to someone going through the same thing can be very helpful for these students.

“I miss my family, but when I meet other exchange students I can talk to them easily,” Toklowicz said.

These 11 students are only here for a year, and the school year is almost over. We will be sad to see them go, but we have given them memories they will never forget.

“This experience has been great; it was life changing, and incredibly eye-opening,” Wabra said.