By Sofia Montoya ’30
Conestoga Valley High School gives students from other countries the opportunity to have a high school experience in the United States. The high school currently has exchange students from various countries, such as Belgium, Germany, and Bolivia. The flags in the hallway outside the cafeteria show the wide range of countries that have sent exchange students to CV over the years.
For Chiara Kuipeno, a senior and current exchange student from Belgium, the experience has been very positive. “The teachers were all so welcoming, and the students too,” she said.
Kuipeno shared that CV was much different from her school in her hometown. “I really like the dynamic of the whole school, the sports they have to offer, and the people to meet,” she said. She was surprised to see how many elective opportunities CVHS has to offer. “In Belgium we don’t have any electives; cooking and music… the opportunities are endless!”
Kuipeno expressed loving the American high school experience. She has taken advantage of opportunities to build relationships through clubs, classes, and volleyball.
At the end of the interview, she gave some advice to newer exchange students for the future: “Say yes to everything, even if it’s new or weird. You should never be afraid to take risks, you might like new opportunities, and exciting stories to bring back to your home country.” Kuipeno is right – take opportunities when given! They just might be life-changing.