The decision to become an exchange student is not one to be taken lightly. It involves giving up a year of high school in order to study in a new, unfamiliar country. Leaving friends, family and all of the comforts of home behind may seem like a big challenge, but Blue Valley Southwest exchange students think that the experiences and knowledge gained make everything worth it.

“It feels good to gain experience and to feel new things in a new culture,” junior Stepan Naumov, Ukrainian exchange student, said. “My host family has been very nice and hospitable, and I love to spend time with them.”

However, the exchange students aren’t the only ones who are benefiting from the programs.

“Living in the Johnson County bubble, we don’t get a very diverse perspective on the world and everything in it,” counselor Kevin Halfmann said. “These exchange students have other perspectives from other countries, and all of us can learn from them.”

Striking a conversation with one of these students can give anyone a greater appreciation for other cultures. Much respect is also given to these brave students who dare to venture outside their comfort zones and try something brand new.

“Meeting these students, and so many others like them, makes us realize that people aren’t our enemies,” Halfmann said. “People are people wherever you go. Knowing these students helps us break out of our bias and reduce prejudice that we might not even know exists.”