AFS Offers Students Total Immersion In A Foreign Culture

By Larissa Lytwyn

As Elisa VanBuskirk, a 16-year-old junior at Newtown High School, reached the final days of her six-month study abroad program in Bourges, France, she realized how difficult it would be to leave what increasingly felt like a second home.

“The most unique part of being abroad was that I was able to totally immerse myself in the culture,” she said. “I was able to become a local!”

This sense of total cultural immersion is one of the primary goals of American Field Services (AFS), the international student exchange program that sponsored Elisa and countless of other students at Newtown High School.

Elisa is a member of the NHS chapter of AFS, a student group comprised of both past and prospective foreign exchange students.

“We welcome students that come in from foreign countries, as well as offer support to NHS students preparing to study abroad,” Elisa explained.

Elisa said she loved every moment of her experience in Bourges, a town of approximately the size of Danbury.

“AFS really emphasizes being part of the family, going on trips with them, really immersing yourself into the culture,” said Elisa. “It’s not about going on a vacation and sightseeing all the time.”

She said she loved going to high school in France. “There was a great sense of independence!” said Elisa. The classes were structured with hours in between them, like in college. There was more flexiblity.”

Elisa also said she loved traveling around Bourges by bus, the primary mode of transportation in many European towns and cities.

“Usually, bus transportation in America is only in the bigger cities,” said Elisa, “but in Bourges it was very accessible and it was easy to get to place to place.”

But while she noted some key differences between American and French transportation and education styles, she said she was struck most deeply by the similarity between the two cultures.

“People are people wherever you go,” said Elisa.

Elisa should know; her experience in France was not her first venture into the international culture scene. Elisa hails from a family with a world view.

Her parents, Peter and Tracy VanBuskirk, share a love of traveling. Four years ago, Mr VanBuskirk’s business career led the family to a one-year relocation in Switzerland, an experience Elisa said the whole family loved.

In addition, Elisa said her mother’s fond memories of studying abroad in Tai Pei, Taiwan, while in college sparked her own interest in participating in a foreign exchange program.

While Elisa began the extensive application process to study abroad in early 2004, the VanBuskirk family welcomed 17-year-old Norwegian exchange student Veronica Reitan through AFS.

Elisa said Veronica fit in beautifully with the family and still keeps in touch with her family through occassional emails and phone calls.

“Her English was incredible — better than ours!” laughed Elisa. “They’re taught the language from a very early age.”

Language, it turned out, was the one difficulty Elisa, a strong student in her NHS French classes, encountered during her experience in Bourges. Elisa said there was a difference between speaking a language conversationally and studying it through a text book.

“If I had to do the whole experience over again, the one thing I would do differently would be to work harder in using French,” she said with a laugh.

Despite the linguistic challenges, Elisa said she made many friends in Borges.

“Everyone was very welcoming and asked me a lot of questions about my life in the United States,” she said.

While some stereotypes of a shopping mall-and-McDonalds-bedecked America were revealed, Elisa also talked about the importance of her family and friends in her life — a theme that crosses cultural boundries.

“Going to Bourges was a fantastic experience,” she said. “I’m so glad I was able to do it!”

As Elisa adjusts to her life back in the states, another NHS student, junior Claire Zukowksi, has been preparing to leave for her own AFS-sponsored experience.

Claire will be leaving March 21 to spend 11 months in Tamana City, located in the southern most island of Japan.

“My mother spent a year in college studying in England, and really enjoyed it,” said Claire. “I knew it was something I was interested in trying, too!”

She said she has long been fascinated by Asian culture. Already highly skilled in Latin and French, Claire is currently learning Japanese. “I’m really excited to totally immerse myself and make new friends,” she said.

She will be staying in the home of an older couple.

“AFS strives to match you with a family whose interests or lifestyle is similar to yours,” said Claire. She said she has been interacting with Hiroshi Murakami and his wife, Kayo, for a few weeks over email.

“They’ve sent me photos of their home, and their dog, Lok, a white pyranees,” said Claire. “They seem to be really nice people and I anticipate it will be a good fit.”

As for homesickness, Claire said that her eager anticipation of encountering a totally new culture outweighs her fears.

“I feel like I’m ready,” she said.

Claire said she is also looking forward to Tamana City’s temperate climate, dining on sushi, and becoming, as scores of students before her, “one of the locals.”

“I really think the best way to experience a place is to put yourself right in, not as a tourist, but more as a resident,” said Claire. “AFS allows you to do that and I’m excited about the opportunity to grown and learn. It’s going to be great!”

For more information on hosting a student or traveling abroad, visit AFS at visit www.afs.org.