MONROE — Monroe’s exchange students boarded their planes at O’Hare Airport June 25 to return to their home countries. They took with them full suitcases and memories of the year they had spent in Wisconsin. Henry Meiburg (Germany), Caio Ferreira Protas (Brazil), Paminee (Pie) Damlaeiad (Thailand), and Bermet Bekenova (Kyrgyzstan) had spent the 2018-19 school year sharing their cultures and learning what it is like to be an American teenager.
Highlights of their year included school activities. Meiburg played soccer, JV basketball and baseball. Basketball was his favorite sport and he enjoyed traveling to Milwaukee and different area towns with the team. Bekenova joined the tennis team where she made friends and learned to play a sport that is not easily accessed in Kyrgyzstan. Cheerleading gave Damlaeiad a chance to go to the basketball games. She is the third exchange student from Thailand to join the cheerleading squad along with Onnalin (Pocky) Tempaibulkul (2017-18) and Krittpoom (Kashan) Damrongsit (2016-17). Protas was happy to make friends and play guitar in a band that performed in the Revue Variety show in addition to playing on the soccer team.
The students were able to choose their classes which was a new experience for them. In their home countries, they choose an area of study such as math and science or philosophy, literature and languages with their courses prescribed for them. In school, Meiburg’s favorite class was Foods. Protas enjoyed his English writing class and social psychology. Bekenova loved learning German, adding to her ability to speak Kyrgyz, Russian and English. Damlaeiad was happy to be in choir every day and participate in the solo/ensemble contest in the spring. She sang a solo, “Remember Me” from the movie Coco, in the fall choir concert. When they return to their home countries the students will complete their secondary studies. In the future, Protas plans to specialize in marine biology, Damlaeiad wants to become a plastic surgeon, Meiburg will do something with business, and Bekenova wants to continue to study languages and become involved in international relations.
In addition to attending school, the exchange students shared their culture and gave presentations to school groups and local organizations such as the Monroe Morning Optimists, Woman’s Club, Sons of Norway, and Green County 4-H. The Monroe Middle School sixth and seventh grade classes were able to enhance their studies of South America and Asia with presentations from two of the students.
The students were able to experience Cheese Days along with meeting students from Costa Rica and Germany when they came to Monroe on MHS school exchanges in January and September.
These four students were able to come to Monroe because they were chosen by their host families who reviewed applications from exchange students assigned to this region. AFS host families share their daily lives and provide a bed and meals for their student. They have the opportunity to build lifelong relationships and learn about themselves, their community and their own culture throughout the year. They receive support from a volunteer liaison who contacts them and their hosted student regularly. Families in Monroe have hosted AFS exchange students and sent local students abroad, completing 138 exchanges since 1963.
A host family does not have to have teenagers in their home. Henry was hosted by Bob and Leesa Bobak with three sisters, Olivia, Lily, and Maggie, ages 14 to 17. Since he has two younger brothers in Germany, this was a new experience for him. Caio’s host family, Jim and Terry Faith, consisted of an older brother, Joel, 21, and sister Natalie, who attends Carroll University. Pie and Bermet were each hosted by a single mother with no children. Mary Holbert hosted Pie and Ashley Thomas hosted Bermet.
As these students head home, AFS Intercultural Programs is seeking host families for the 2019-20 school year.
Interested families can go to https://www.afsusa.org/ or contact local volunteer, Lisa Hendrickson, at lisahen3@gmail.com or 608-558-0091 for more information.
The students arrive in August so it is important to complete the process of selecting the exchange student and completing the hosting application process in a timely fashion.
