Lauren Meurer
Staff Writer

Bettina Juszak, Eric Bonnen and Julia Bilczuk from Germany and Baas Ravirujiphant from Thailand are here to get a life experience for the next ten months they could not get any other time.
Westford Academy has been a change for the students. Walking to class is one difference all four students have been adjusting to. In Germany and Thailand, the teachers come to the classrooms. For Bilczuk, the rotating schedule and size of the school has been a few of the adjustments to be made in America.
Ravirujiphant has found the major difference from Thailand is the gender.
“In Thailand, my school is all boys” said Ravirujiphant.
All the students have found that WA offers more art and music classes than offered in their schools in Germany and Thailand. Bilczuk is taking the classes that are not offered in her school.
International club is a common activity for the students, when Bonnen and Bilczuk are not playing soccer. Photography is also a common interest for the students.
The life experience was the reason that motivated all four to study in the US for the year. Juszak came because her sisters came, and enjoyed it. Bonnen said that this was a once in a lifetime experience.
When asked how this would affect life at home, Bonnen said it would give him a better understanding of the culture and make him more open-minded of the world around him.
Our everyday vernacular consists of some very strange sayings that have been some of the things amusing the exchange students since their arrival. Bilczuk and Bonnen enjoy the word “ridiculous”, whereas Juszak enjoys “wicked”.