2/25/2008 - Bolivia native shares experiences so far

Gretna isn’t the first adventure for foreign exchange student Fabiana Rojas. The 16-year-old is from Santa Cruz, Bolivia in South America, and she’s visited 14 countries with her family before making her way to the United States this year.

“It’s a good way to spend time as a family, share and learn about new cultures,” she said.

Rojas is one of the 24 exchange students this year in the American Field Service Intercultural Programs USA. She is staying with Suzy Jennings’ family until early June and attending Gretna High School.

Although this isn’t Rojas’ first holiday, this is the first time she’s been a foreign exchange student. She decided to try it because one of her brothers did it before. She wanted to go to an English-speaking country.

Because her first choice, England, was full, she got to go to her second choice in the United States. The Jennings’ chose her to be a part of their host family.

Suzy Jennings is the hosting coordinator for AFSIP and is an advocate for the program, she said at the Gretna Optimist Club meeting last Thursday. She was herself a foreign exchange student in 1982 and continues to host students when she can.

Learn more about Rojas in the following Q&A:

1. Before you arrived in the United States, what did you expect to see? What did you expect the people to be like?

In Latin America, and a think almost all the world, we have the vision that Americans are fat and not too smart. So I was expecting something like that. I was expecting that people be nice and so far everybody is incredible. They are really nice with me so I’m really happy and grateful for that.

2. Have you traveled to other countries before? Why/why not?

I’ve been in 14 countries before. As I said my family loves to travel so when we have the chance we do it, it’s a good way to spend time as a family, share and learn about different cultures

3. When did you arrive in Gretna? When will you return home?

I arrived to Gretna Aug. 10 and I’m going home at the end of June.

4. Do you like attending school here? Why/why not?

I like attending school here. Everybody is really nice and the teachers help me a lot in this experience. I’m really grateful. Teachers are more like friends here. They make the subject be interesting.

For example, I hate history and in my history classes in Bolivia I was so bored, I didn’t pay attention. Here my American history teacher makes the subjects really interesting, and I think I know more American history than Bolivan history.

Of course everything has their good and bad. I miss my school too. I miss my breaks and I miss having different schedules every day and my almost two hours lunch, and of course my friends.

This article was originally published here .