Exchange Year at LSN

Story & Photo by Abbey Euritt – Staff Reporter

 During the 2022-2023 school year, Lee’s Summit North is hosting many exchange students from a variety of places around the world. The exchange student program at LSN gives people from different parts of the world a chance to experience American high school. Each family that hosts an exchange student makes it a priority to give the student the best experience of their one-year trip here. In particular, Lezer Calvo Aso, senior, is taking his exchange year from Spain, and has done a multitude of things to make the most of his time in America with his host family and friends. Overall, the change from Spain to America is a big culture difference in many ways.

   “The high school is bigger, for example, my high school is 900 people, and here like 2,500 [people],”Calvo Aso said. 

   So far, he has taken on many activities to better understand Lee’s Summit North culture, and the way of American high school. Calvo Aso’s exchange year has started off in a memorable way, including new friendships, and staying involved with the school. 

   “I am the manager of the varsity volleyball team, so my objective is to play [for the boys volleyball team] in the spring,” Calvo Aso said. 

   As he has taken on the role of an LSN volleyball manager, it keeps him busy along with giving him some of his closest friends. Outside of school, Spain is very different from America in many ways that Calvo Aso is not familiar with.

   “Here, everything is bigger, like the supermarket and all the grocery stores,” Calvo Aso said.      

   The unique culture compared to Spain is a big change, but his host family takes part in making it feel more familiar. The Wise family is hosting Calvo Aso for his time in America, and they make an effort to create the best experience for him, and his visit. 

   “We make a lot of food from their home and if they want to do something [we do it],” Danica Wise, sophomore, said. 

   Recently, the Wise family took a vacation, hoping to make more memories with his time in America. Their time spent together has made Calvo Aso naturally closer to the Wise family.

   “He fits in with my family really well, and he’s one of my best friends,” Wise said. 

   With the rest of the year to come, many more memories, and experiences to remember his time at LSN will follow.