An American experience: Foreign exchange students reflect on life in the USA

NEW MADRID, Mo. — It was a half a world away from where they lived, but what Marine Bourekat and Marie Oweger found was home.

Bourekat and Oweger were two of the foreign exchange students who spent the past school year as students at New Madrid County Central High School. Both agreed it was a dream come true.

“I wanted to come (to the United States) for a long time, since seventh grade on,” said Bourekat. “It is about experiencing the American life.”

Both found American school and society vastly different.

Bourekat, who is from Limone, France, said in France students attend school from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The school days are focused strictly on their studies.

Oweger said her school days in Munich, Germany, involved different classes on different days. The teachers, she said, were very strict.

“There, it is just learn, learn, learn,” she said. “We don’t have school dances or sports or anything. The teachers are more friendly here with the students. They have more fun in the classrooms. It is nice to see that not everything has to be very strict like it is back home.”

Bourekat, who had two years of English at school in France, was a senior at New Madrid County Central. Oweger, who had only one year of English at her school in Germany, was enrolled as a junior. At NMCC, they shared many of the same classes, quickly mastering their English. However, Bourekat noted even after months in Missouri, the Bootheel drawl can be difficult to understand.

Their hosts, Shane and April Grissom of New Madrid along with their daughter, Peyton, and son, Ryder, encouraged the two to experience all that American high school life had to offer.

April Grissom laughingly said the two young women “fit right in with the crazy. Our schedules are hectic. Peyton cheers year-round. Ryder plays baseball year-round. We were like you are here; we hope you can handle the chaos because that is the way we live around here.”

“But they wanted to be on the go,” she continued. “They wanted to do, do, do. They would say, 'I want to go experience this.'”

For Bourekat, it was important to experience even the little things, whether it was a trip to Walmart or tasting her first cornbread.

They also said in general Americans are different from Europeans. They were surprised by the number of questions Americans asked and American small talk.

Oweger said it took courage to make conversation with people she didn’t know. When she did, she said, she always found people to be very welcoming.

“It is the small things that make the difference and make it a great year and a great experience,” she said.

And there were a lot of good things, the teens agreed.

“I think prom was one of my favorite memories because we don’t have school dances back home. Going dress shopping, getting our nails and our hair done, taking pictures. That was really a cool experience,” Bourekat said.

For Oweger school sports and school spirit are a special part of her year.

“American football Friday nights — that was always great to watch. We never had something like that,” she said. “That was a great experience.”

Bourekat, who was a member of the NMCC track team, said she would like schools in France to offer sports.

Also she liked the excitement and activities surrounding graduation from walking the halls at the grade schools to the final ceremony. In France, students take one final major exam, then go home to wait for the results. There is no ceremony, she said.

There will be other memories they will take home — watching the Eagle basketball team win the state championship, visiting Branson, town fairs and golf cart rides.

The Grissoms said hosting the exchange students was a learning experience for them as well.

Shane Grissom said he learned Six Flag’s Octoberfest is nothing like Germany’s Octoberfest and that European chocolate surpasses a Hershey’s bar. The two students treated their hosts to crepes, while they tried catfish.

April Grissom described the year as a good experience.

“I feel like it has allowed me to learn new things. It has opened our hearts up,” she said. “I feel like somebody has come into my life that I never really knew I needed and now that they are here, I don’t know how we are going to let them go, but we are going to have to.”

It was also a good experience for their children, April Grissom said, especially Peyton.

“I love the fact that she is open to allowing new friends in. I love the fact that she gets to learn from other people that are not from America and she is going to end up having friends every where. I feel like that has only helped broaden her future.”

Peyton Grissom call Bourekat and Oweger good friends. When the talk turned to their leaving, she began to tear up.

However, they are making plans to meet following Peyton’s graduation. This time, however, Bourekat and Oweger will play host to their American sister in Europe.

Shane Grissom also said the goodbyes will be difficult.

“You get so attached. They are just like your own. I don’t think we could top this experience. We were so blessed and so lucky to have had both of them.”