A group of students from Paraguay has spent the last three weeks taking in the sites, sounds and language of the United States.
This is the first time exchange students from the South American country have been to Free State High School and they like what they see.
“(Free State) is very different from ours, especially the classes,” said Nieves Brunet, 16. “We cannot choose our classes.”
Zunilda Walther teaches English at a language school in Encarnacion and traveled with her students. She has been to America before, but this was her first trip to Kansas.
“People are so nice, so warm,” she said.
The temperatures in Paraguay this time of year are usually in the 90s, so the Midwestern weather was a change.
“When I was coming here, I thought it was going to be all white because of snow,” said Fernando Komjati, 18. “When we arrived here, there was no snow, but really cold.”
The exchange students did note some big differences between the countries.
“People are not really nice in Paraguay when you don’t know them,” said Guido Marginez, 16. “Here, if you don’t know a person, he or she will be nice anyway.”
Brunet noted that a middle class exists in America, but not in her home country. “There are too many rich people and poor people,” she said.
Komjati thinks people in the United States take pride in their country. “The Paraguayans are not so proud of being Paraguayans,” he said. “That is one of the bigger things, but I am proud of being Paraguayan.”
The students will play host to 10 Free State High students later this year.
“We’ll try to do our best in order to return all the nice things we got over here,” said Walther.
Comments
LJWorld.com doesn’t necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.
beim (anonymous) says…
Kansas and Paraguay are also considered brother states. We share many things in common, agriculture among those and our landlocked position. Paraguayan students also get in-state tuition prices for college. I wouldn't mind living there because its also the most affordable nation with respect to living costs in the world.
klimt (anonymous) says…
Paraguay is a beautiful country, and people there are very nice! They are bilingual, because beside Spanish, they also speak a native language called Guarani.
Good_boy (anonymous) says…
Hi everyone! My name's Luis Recalde and I just wanted to point some things which are a bit wrong in this article...
I was a Youth Ambassador in 2008, which is a program that allows South American students to visit the United States...
As Kansas is Paraguay's partner state, there we went... We stayed with host families in Lawrence and I attended with my host sister to "Lawrence Free State High School".
So then, this is not the first time that Paraguayan students go to this High School.
Personally, I brought many good memories about the people there. We shared a lot with spanish teachers, specially with Mr. Stuart S.... We miss him!!!
and also from my point of view, Paraguayan people are warm and always proud of being Paraguayans...(with very little exceptions)
Greetings from Paraguay to Lawrence!!!
zuwa (anonymous) says…
Hi everyone!
Just let me apologize for a (probable) mistake of mine.
It was the first time that students from Itapúa-Paraguay ( María Auxiliadora, Hohenau and Encarnación) participated in an exchange at "Lawrence Free State High School."
Please understand the comments included in the article as what they are; just very general opinions.
We are endlessly grateful LFSHS and Lawrence all! The time shared with you placed our mind and our heart!(Teacher and students from Itapúa)
zuwa (anonymous) says…
Hi everyone!
Just let me apologize for a (probable) mistake of mine.
It was the first time that students from Itapúa-Paraguay ( María Auxiliadora, Hohenau and Encarnación) participated in an exchange at "Lawrence Free State High School."
Please understand the comments included in the article as what they are; just very general opinions.
We are endlessly grateful LFSHS and Lawrence all! The time shared with you placed our minds and our hearts! (Teacher and students from Itapúa)