Thursday, February 6, 2025
SPRINGTOWN — Homework, sports, tests and college applications are challenges most average teenagers face in high school, not counting all the social, societal and peer pressures teens encounter. But imagine taking on all these challenges in a completely foreign country and being away from your family, friends and everything you've ever known.
Max Wegener, 16, and Elina Lejeune, 18, are two of five foreign exchange students at Springtown High School. Both students are a part of the Council on International Educational Exchange program. Wegener has been in the U.S. for about two years while Lejeune has been here since last August.
Wegener is originally from Germany and Lejeune is originally from Belgium. Wegener wanted to participate in the foreign exchange program because his father had participated and went to a school in California. His dad had a very positive experience — so much so, Wegener’s father keeps in contact with his host family.
Lejeune’s best friend in Belgium had also participated in the exchange program. She attended a school in Florida and Lejeune wanted to do the same.
“I have always wanted to do this,” Lejeune said. “Like to learn English, the culture and everything.”
When Lejeune arrived in the U.S., she was surprised at how big everything was.
“Everything was so big, even the airport and the car,” Lejeune said.
Lejeune felt the transition period from being in Belgium to America was challenging once the realization settled in that she was here for a year.
“My English was not really good, so it was hard in the beginning to just express myself,” Lejeune said. “It takes a long time to realize that you’re finally here.”
Lejeune said her favorite part about her home in Belgium is her friends and all her family are there. She did admit she prefers the European cuisine over American food. Lejeune said her favorite part about being in America is attending Springtown High School.
“School is the best thing, it's better than the school in Belgium,” Lejeune said. “They (Springtown HS) are so proud of their sports. And here you can choose what you want to study. The teachers are more friendly and the people here are more friendly.”
When Wegener first came to the U.S., he said speaking English was never a problem for him as his parents made that a learning priority in his home.
He says the biggest misconception he had about the U.S. was that, in Europe, it’s popular to think Americans are not very intelligent.
“Many people think Americans are stupid, but it's not like that,’ Wegener said. “We learn more about geography because we travel to a lot of different countries. But here, (in the U.S.) you travel to lots of different states.”
Wegener said he misses his family but doesn’t have that homesick feeling.
“Of course, I miss them but it's not like I'm homesick,” Wegener said. “I know that I want to be here and making friends is easy for me.
Wegener is already on the men’s varsity soccer team at Springtown HS. In Europe, soccer is referred to as football. In Germany, sports for kids is a separate organization outside of school that you must pay to participate in.
Lejeune has also made it onto a varsity team at Springtown HS.
“I’m in track and field and it’s really good,” Lejeune said. “I have practice in the morning at 7:15 a.m. I wake up early; it's so different in Belgium because I have to be at school at 8:30 a.m. but here its 7:15 a.m.”
Lejeune has been trying American foods like pop tarts, burgers and says she loves Chick-fil-A. Lejeune happily admitted her favorite new food she has tried so far is Crumbl Cookies.
“Recently, I went to Crumbl Cookies with a friend,” Lejeune said. “She made me try it and it was so good. I tried the cookies and cream and the Honey Bun.
Wegener said he has tried Mexican food and found it delicious.
“Mexican food is not really big in Germany, so I tried it here and its definitely good,” Wegener said. “I like it very much. I’m not a spicy guy, but there are Mexican dishes without spice. I love the street tacos.”
When it comes to learning about his home country in history class, Wegener said learning history in Germany versus in America is not really any different.
“I’m a big history guy, so it's nothing new, the Great Depression and all these things I knew before,” Wegener said. “I think everybody knows about German history. We, of course, learn about World War I and World War II, so the perspectives are the same. For me, it’s more like refreshing my knowledge.”
As far as life after high school goes, both Wegener and Lejeune want to go to a university. Recently, Lejeune sent her application to a university in the Netherlands, which would benefit her English as universities in Belgium mostly speak in French. Lejeune wants to major in international business.
“I want to go to a business international school,” Lejeune said. “I think it’s because I can travel a lot.”
Wegener has two more years of school in Germany when goes back next year. He isn’t too sure yet what his plans are but wants to attend college.
“I could do one semester in America or somewhere else,” Wegener said. “One of my skills is speaking and I could see getting into politics and business.”
Reflecting on the biggest lessons they’ve learned while being in the U.S., Lejeune said she has become more open minded.
“You learn about yourself better and also to be more open minded,” Lejeune said. “You feel more comfortable about yourself. You have to try to begin a new life.”
Wegener said that he’s learned that all people are the same no matter where you were born or where you grew up.
“Even though we are pretty different, some things are the same,” Wegener said. “Of course, they speak another language, but it's crazy to see how similar we still are. You talk to your teachers like how you talk in German. So, the relationships are the same, even though the language and the people are so far away.”
