On a warm August day, Sofia Esteban looked out the window of the plane as she watched it descend to meet with the ground. She had finally arrived in America. Feeling a rush of different emotions, she rose from her seat and began to exit the plane. She was mostly excited, slightly nervous, and very tired from her long flight from Spain to America. As she walked through the gate into the airport, she saw them; her new family. They greeted her with hugs, smiles, and posters, welcoming her to join their family for the year.
Sofia arrived in New Hampshire on August 8th through the Education First exchange student program (EF Exchange). Since her arrival, she has been living with her host family, the Brissettes, in New Boston and attending GHS for her sophomore year. The Brissettes have two daughters of their own, Mia and Anna, and had been thinking about opening their doors to a foreign exchange student for a long time. When they found an ad on Facebook for the EF Exchange program, they decided to go for it, and became a host family.
Sofia shared how lucky she was to have the Brissettes as her host family, saying that “They took me in well from the first moment. The Brissettes are a super nice family and they do so much for me even though I am not from their family.” Sofia also shared that many of her exchange student friends have had to switch host families because they were treated poorly, so she is very grateful to have such a kind family.
Sofia has had no trouble settling into an American high school at GHS. She is taking different high level classes and making many new friends along the way as she enjoys trying new things in America. She enjoyed going to all the football games, and she even joined the girl’s soccer team as well as the indoor track team.
Mia Brissette, a sophomore at GHS and part of Sofia’s host family, shared, “Sofia is very outgoing and friendly, she’s definitely been able to make a lot of friends here.” As for what Sofia thinks about her new school, she says, “When I got to the school, it was confusing at first with all the halls and classrooms, but it’s like the typical American high school in the movies. It’s like I’m living a dream, I couldn’t ask for more.”
Sofia came over to America from her home in Madrid, Spain where she left her family and friends to go on the adventure of her life. Per the rules of the exchange program, she isn’t allowed to visit home during her year-long stay so she will get the full American experience.
Being away from home for a whole year can be a challenge at times for Sofia, but though she is occasionally homesick, she shares that “I’m having such a good time here that I don’t even have time to think about who I miss in Spain. I’m very happy here and I just wish I could stay longer.”
Sofia will be returning back to Spain at the end of the school year, leaving the Brissettes, and America, along with strong connections she has built with the new friends she made.
Sofia wishes she could stay longer, and although she is unable to stay through the exchange system for another year, she is sure that she will come back to visit New Hampshire to see all of her friends again. Brissette says, “I’m definitely going to be sad when she has to leave. My family and I will never forget her.”
