From Home to Abroad

Aaliyah Garcia
Staff Writer
  Meet Aya Lucia Baek Korsgaard, a foreign exchange student at Bonneville High School from Denmark. Korsgaard was originally planning to attend boarding school for a year; she was not ready to start college just yet, but her aunt completed a foreign exchange program and enjoyed it, so she encouraged Korsgaard to complete a year abroad. 
  Korsgaard expressed that she is loving the U.S., and the biggest difference between the U.S. and Denmark is the people, “people here are much more outgoing; they want to talk to you, and they're really nice,” she notes. Although she loves meeting new people, Korsgaard admits that she misses her family and friends the most. The biggest challenge that she faces is being homesick; however, she overcomes this by talking to her mom while getting ready in the mornings. While Korsgaard misses home, she tries to do as much as she can in the U.S. Her favorite memory so far was going to the Idaho State Fair with her friends, “We don’t really have a fair at home, so it was fun to experience.” Korsgaard’s favorite thing about the US is the food: “It's so sugary, and I love it.” Guilty of  having a sweet tooth, Korsgaard did admit that her favorite food in the U.S. is actually ranch dressing. She explains, “we do not have ranch at home, so I put [it] in everything; it’s an unhealthy obsession.” Korsgaard explains that before going back to Denmark she would like to, “go to like prom and all that stuff because we don't have school parties at home.” She also hopes to drive a car since the legal driving age in Denmark is 18. Korsgaard adds that in Denmark, people typically travel by bus or bike rather than by car. She often bikes to school here as well, since it's what she's accustomed to back home.
  A piece of advice Korsgaard would give students who want to participate in the foreign exchange program is to “just try and do as many things as you can, and it's really hard from the start but it will get better.” Through her time as a foreign exchange student, Korsgaard is able to make new connections and learn lessons that will stay with her forever.