New culture. New life. New language. New environment. 

Two students, Ana Petrovic ‘27 from Germany and Karlygash Zhalgasbay ‘27 from Kazakhstan, left behind their home country and everything they’ve ever known to spend 10 months in Johnston this August. 

“I wanted to improve my English and to experience the typical American culture because I always saw it in movies and TV shows, books and songs. It seemed very interesting to me.  I just wanted to experience those things because it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Petrovic said.

To live in America, foreign exchange students must be placed with a host family. Johnston residents, Derek and Erin Miller were interested in hosting a foreign exchange student for the 2025-2026 school year. To do this, you first fill out a background check and information about your family and your community. Once you get approved, you can look at profiles and learn a bit more about the students who are hoping to have an exchange year. 

“I was so thrilled when I saw that we had gotten approval for hosting an exchange student because then we could start planning fun things to do that would provide great experiences for our student,” Erin Miller said.

After host parents get approved, they prepare for the student to come by communicating with the student, learning more about them and getting ready for the school year. Foreign exchange students embark from their home country in early August to the USA. Zhalgasbay flew to Washington D.C. 

“We went to a hotel, they gave us free t-shirts and I had my first American pizza at Papa John’s. I slept for five hours and we finally flew to Chicago, and the first thing that I noticed was that Americans had Stanley cups, coffee and they were speaking English and that’s when I realized that I was actually in the U.S.A. and I would live here for the next 10 months,” Zhalgasbay said. 

 Finally, after orientation, all the months of planning and dreaming culminate when the foreign exchange students arrive in the airport to get picked up by their host family and begin their American life.

“I’m participating in cross country and it has been so much fun to challenge myself and meet new people. I have met most of my friends there and it has been a new challenge to train so much. It’s also really great to see your progress, especially in meets. Overall it’s just like a great experience, to support your teammates and to make these meaningful connections,” Petrovic said.

Throughout the year, these foreign exchange students make lasting memories and experience things they never could in their home country.

“Rock Around the Clock was the first American activity I did. Every team had matching t-shirts and they painted their body. We would never cut our t-shirts in Kazakhstan. There was music, dancing and singing. Everyone was so involved, and I thought it was so cool,” Zhalgasby said.