Arrowhead Welcomes Two New Foreign Exchange Students
Coles smiling for Arrowhead Homecoming Pictures and Robayna Smiling in Arrowhead Senior Study hall
This school year, Arrowhead High School welcomes two new foreign exchange students. Camyron Coles and Celia Robayna have both come to spend their senior year at Arrowhead.
Robayna is from Madrid and has been in Wisconsin for about four weeks now. Coles is from Waikato, New Zealand, and has been here for two months. Both girls plan to finish out their senior year and graduate with Arrowhead’s senior class.
Coles, 17, was inspired by her mother to come over as an exchange student. She said, “My mum came [to America] when she was my age. She had a really good experience and encouraged me to come as well.”
“I see the culture on television a lot and I wanted to see if it was real. Also Americans seem super laid back and I am the same way.”
Some things Coles has found to be different between cultures is the language.
She said, “I think it is a lot easier for me because I know English and I know a lot of other foreign exchange students struggle with being in a country that speaks a different language, but the slang is different here and sometimes people have a hard time understanding my accent.”
Being a foreign exchange student, she was randomly paired with a family.
Coles says, “I got lucky with my family. I have gotten really close with Mia, the daughter, and the Mom. We have actually spent quite a bit of time together which not all foreign exchange students do with their host families.”
The Schultz family, Coles host family, has two kids in grade school. According to Tracy Schultz Coles is the first foreign exchange they have hosted. — says “we really lucked out with Camyron. She has fit into the family so well.”
Robayna says she has gotten just as lucky with placement and host family. She says, “I like it a lot. I really like the environment and everyone is really nice.”
Robayna was placed with the Winkles, whos daughter, Nichole is a senior at Arrowhead.
Robayna was also randomly assigned to a state and family. She said, “I didn’t know anything about the [Wisconsin] but when I came here I was happy because it had a lot of countryside.”
She said her favorite part about being here is “the people.”
Both girls say they have made new friends and are excited to finish out their senior year at Arrowhead.
Robayna said, “I will cry when I have to leave.”
Coles said, “I am going to miss everybody here so much. Obviously I miss home but I have kind of made a home here.”
