Not only does a foreign exchange student spend a whole year in a different country apart from their friends and family, but they are also away for the holidays. Holidays are for spending time with your family and enjoying time together. This school year, Alliance High School has four foreign exchange students.

Pablo Ballano is a senior foreign exchange student from Spain. Back in Spain, his Christmas family traditions included opening presents from Santa Claus in the morning. Then on January sixth, they have the Magic Kings. The kings give them presents as Santa Clause does. “Usually Christmas is time for family and presents. We also celebrate New Year’s Eve with big parties.” With being in America this Christmas, Pablo believes that Christmas will be almost the same as back home. The only change this year would be the Magic King tradition. On New Year’s Eve, Pablo and his host family, the Kimmels, are going to go skiing, which is something that he has never done. “It’s going to be a great time to know my host family better and see how the American Christmas is with all of the decorations and traditions.”

Beatrice Barzaghi, also known as Bea, is a foreign exchange student from Italy.

She is also staying with the Kimmels. Bea’s little sister still believes in Santa, therefore, in Italy, they are not allowed to see the presents till the morning of Christmas. On Christmas, they have a big lunch with all of her family and open presents which lasts until dinnertime, while the kids play with all of their new toys. On the twenty-sixth, her family has a big lunch and dinner with family in honor of Santo Stefano. “Being here for Christmas, I don’t believe that they celebrate the twenty-sixth like we do. Another change would be that my host siblings don’t believe in Santa Claus, so we already have presents under our tree.” For Christmas with the Kimmels and Pablo, the family plans on opening the presents on the morning of the twenty-fifth and their host family plans on recording them. Beatrice states, “I am very excited to spend Christmas here with my host family and Pablo. We already have a lot of presents under the tree. Each sibling got something for everyone. Usually in Italy, it’s only me and my sister opening presents. This year its 5 of us and it will be more exciting.”

Remy Lowe is a foreign exchange student from Australia. Her host family is the Splattstoesser’s. For Christmas in Australia, Remy and her family go down to the beach and have a flip flop throwing contest after their family lunch and gift exchange. This year, Christmas for Remy is not going to be a 110-degree day, and she will also be a bit far from a beach to do the regular Christmas traditions. In addition to the difference in temperature, Remy will miss the food that they eat; including seafood, fruit, and pavlova. “We’re going to Rapid, where they’re taking me ice skating, shopping, and Christmas light hunting. Then we are off to Montana to help with the farm and to have Christmas with my host family’s family.”

Juni Vante is a foreign exchange student at AHS from Norway. She is staying

with the Bleisch’s. In Norway, Juni and her family’s main day for Christmas is the twenty-fourth. They wake up early and watch the same cartoons on the television every year as well as “Three Wishes for Cinderella”. They then get together with family for lunch where they have rice porridge with a hidden almond. Whoever finds the almond in their bowl gets a marzipan pig. They then go to church before heading home to make dinner, eat, and open presents. On the twenty-fifth and the twenty-sixth, they get together with family and eat. “I think that this Christmas will be a lot more laid back and the most obvious change is that most of Christmas happens on the twenty-fifth. It’s probably going to be a bit sad to celebrate Christmas without my family, but it will be a good experience.” For Christmas in America, Juni and her host family will most likely have family over and go to church, some things that she is used to doing in Norway.

While it is hard for everyone to be away from family on a holiday, the foreign exchange students are away for a whole year, plus holidays. We wish the foreign exchange students as well as their host families a wonderful Merry Christmas!