Four new exchange students are gracing Hoover’s hallways for the 2025-26 school year. They come from countries around the world: Spain, Belgium, Germany and Taiwan. 

Naturally, students and teachers are curious about what living in another country entails. Senior Lena Mulldenders had a solution; a slideshow featuring her friends, family, dogs, horses, and the house her family lives in. 

“Everybody just asks me, one hundred times the same question,” she said. “People are curious and you should not be shy. They are allowed to know.” 

Each of the four exchange students concurred that students at Hoover have been friendly and welcoming. Even though the exchange students only have a year in America, Mullenders explained that the friendships she’s made so far will be long-lasting. 

“I know if I come back here, I will always have friends here,” she said. “I would always know somebody would host me or somebody here will do something with me.” 

Not only are the students welcoming, but the teachers are as well. The student-teacher relationship in America is different from Mullenders home country of Belgium. 

“It’s funny because here, they are more like friends you can speak with, [but] you still have to respect them,” she said. “In Belgium it’s not like this. We don’t speak with the teachers.” 

Different countries have different standards for what and how students learn. Therefore, succeeding and adapting in an exchange program is certainly an endeavor. Scheduling is different, as well as the classes available to students. Junior Pei-Ying Chiang discussed the differences between high school in America versus Taiwan. 

“In our school, we don’t have to change classrooms,” she said. “Different teachers come to our classroom. So, we have the same classmates all day.” 

Junior Emma Beck also spoke about the scheduling and classes available to students in her home country of Germany compared to America. 

“I had 18 different classes in my old school,” she said. “I have six classes here, so that’s different. I’m starting to get used to it, but starting [school in America] was weird, just everyday, the same.” 

Despite the learning curve, all four exchange students stated they would recommend other students take part in an exchange program, if possible. Sophomore Ariadna Fernandez-Miguel spoke about how appreciative she is of the variety of sports students play in America. In Spain, students pick one sport and stick with it their entire student career; however, at Hoover, she’s able to play lacrosse, soccer and basketball. In addition, all four students praised the football games, which are a key element in American schooling. 

“We don’t have football in Spain; soccer is our football,” she said. “I love the themes and hanging out with friends there [at the football games].”

Further, the food in America is different from other countries. The exchange students had differing opinions on school lunches and the quality of fast food. Mullenders and Fernandez-Miguel both miss the food from their home countries, while Beck and Chiang don’t find as many faults with American food. Chiang stated that in Taiwan, students are allowed to Uber food to the school, which is not typically seen in American schools. In Belgium, students have something similar to open lunch at Hoover. 

“We are allowed to go out everyday,” Mullenders said. “We have a super market and a little food shop.” 

Another thing that’s different for exchange students is lockdowns. Mullenders explained that in Belgium there is no Second Amendment; therefore, it’s not common for everyday citizens to carry weapons. She described how two lockdowns in a week affected her. 

“I had goosebumps because I was thinking there was somebody in the school and then they [the students] explained it was outside the school,” she said. 

Traveling to a new country and living with a family you’re not familiar with is undoubtedly intimidating. Chiang spoke about advice her mother gave her; to lead with an open mind and not anticipate anything. 

“My mom always told me, don’t have too much expectation,” she said. “She didn’t want me to be disappointed, but I think I was just very excited for living [that] was different.” 

However, living and learning in an unfamiliar country is a substantial undertaking. Beck has some advice for future exchange students. “My advice would be that you should always say yes to everything,” Beck said. “If someone asks, ‘Do you want to come to a bonfire?’ or ‘Do you want to join another sport?’ say yes because you’re only here once.”