LRHS becomes a home away from home for exchange students

While homecoming week invites alumni to return to their alma mater, emphasizing the concept of home highlights how far away LRHS’s foreign exchange students are from their respective hometowns.

This year, six foreign exchange students are enrolled at LRHS: Pius Prosinecki of Germany, Miguel Sáez of Spain, Mathilde Bach Knudsen of Denmark, Samuele Bartolato of Italy, Melisa Kilaj of Switzerland, and Elanie Chiu of Taiwan.

Pius Prosinecki traveled 5,100 miles to Ritzville from Stuttgart in southern Germany.

Of his motivations to study abroad, Prosinecki explained, “I wanted to live in another country with a different culture and I want to become more independent… I want to meet new people.”

Coming from a town of about 3,000, Prosinecki is familiar with the small town atmosphere.

“I really wanted to go to a small village because I think only there you can be friends with other people, because they recognize you and they want to talk with you,” he said.

Prosinecki added, “Ritzville really fits into my expectations of America.”

Paul and Kathy McAnally are hosting Proskinecki for his year in the United States.

Kathy McAnally said, “Paul and I are host parents because we want to share our home, community, and country with young students from other countries. It benefits us and our boys by learning about other cultures as well as sharing ours with them.”

“We are proud of our country and love sharing it with others,” she added.

Originating from a town about 5,200 miles from Ritzville, Miguel Sáez finds his home just outside of Madrid, Spain.

Regarding why he wanted to journey to America, he explained, “I wanted to learn English, see how is living here and meet new people.”

“I think I took it also as a challenge,” Sáez continued.

With a population of about 20,000, Sáez’s hometown is larger than that of Prosinecki’s. Of his comparisons between Ritzville and his expectations of America, he explains, it’s “smaller, but people here are amazing. I wouldn’t change it.”

Sáez is staying with Tim and Michelle Smith in their second year of hosting a foreign exchange student.

Camden Smith, Miguel’s host brother, explained, “We hosted another student because we had an amazing experience with our first one. Also, it is a great way to learn about other cultures.”

Smith added, “Living with Miguel I fun! He fits in great here.”

From a “little town” of 15,000 people, Mathilde Bach Knudsen calls Ikast, Denmark, her home.

“I wanted to be an exchange student so I could learn a new culture, learn the language, and get a good experience,” explained Knudsen.

Knudsen is spending her year with Casey and Jamie Kinney.

Her host sister, Emily Kinney, said of their first year hosting an exchange student, “My favorite part about being a host sister is learning about Mathilde’s culture. There are so many different things like activities and schooling. It’s so awesome to hear the stories she tells about her life in Denmark.”

Kinney added, “Hosting an exchange student has definitely met my expectations. There has not been a moment where I’ve regretted our decision.”

Similarly, Knudsen said, “I love my host family! My least favorite part is that I’m only here for a year and it will be so hard to say goodbye.”

Each exchange student values a different aspect of their experience so far.

Prosinecki said, the best “thing is that you can represent your home country.”

He maintains a strongly positive outlook on his exchange year: “I think there is no negative thing about being an exchange student,” he adds.

For Sáez, his positivity comes from the people. Sáez explains that his favorite part of America is “to meet all of these amazing people that help me and make my days count every day.”

Knudsen said, “My favorite part about being an exchange student is that I learn new things every day and people are so nice to me. I love the school spirit and I have already tried a lot of new things that I have never tried before.”

McAnally concluded, “The communities of Lind, Ritzville, and Sprague have given our students a warm welcome and a home away from home.”

LRHS is more than a school, but a family for many exchange students this year.

The remaining three foreign exchange students will be introduced in a following installment of The Bronco Bulletin.