By Lily Mullinix, Ellen Boehm, Delaney Malone
Three students dive into American culture, local cuisine with passion
Three students new to Minnehaha Academy this fall have added a unique sense of adventure and excitement. Senior Nathalie Heidema and juniors Jurka Orosová and Ronja Mokránová, who attend C.S. Lewis Bilingual High School in Solvakia, arrived with energy and a sense of purpose.
Mokránová’s goals are to improve her English and bring a greater knowledge of this culture home to her parents, her brother and her sister.“I want to experience the culture,” said Mokránová, “it was very difficult to choose just six classes.”
The three have already experienced quite a bit of American life and Minnesota culture in just a few weeks. They have visited several attractions such as Minnehaha Falls, Valleyfair, the Mall of America and Minnesota State Fair.
“I’ve never seen so many people in one place,» Heidema said about the fair, “especially with the goal of eating food.”
“The food I never had before were the real American cookies, the Sweet Martha cookies,” smiled Heidema.
Orosová also enjoyed the state fair experience, sharing Heidema’s favorite food.
“Sweet Martha cookies,” she said, smiling. “I loved them, yeah!”
But not all American food is a hit with the exchange students.
“There are things I like, and others things I don’t like,” Mokránová said laughing. “For example, the food: It’s so sugary. Everything is so sugary.”
While taking classes at Minnehaha, they will be living with host families. Heidema is staying with senior Maggie Chamberlain’s family, Orosová with junior Faith Hlavac and Mokránová with an area family who wanted to host an international student.
Heidema said she is excited about the new experience and the idea of being an American high school student, and she expects high school in America to be almost “perfect” like the famous Disney movie High School Musical.
In addition to the fun and food, Mokránová said she has enjoyed the people she has met, saying, “Everyone is so nice here.”