From Germany to Fortuna: FUHS’ Foreign Exchange Program

Fortuna, California
By Liana Hetticher

Senior foreign exchange students, from left, Miisa Maki and Pauline Willing. Not pictured Marta Majo-Dafouce

Fortuna Union High School has offered a Foreign Exchange Program for quite some time. “It’s been in existence since I worked here and attended in the 90’s,” says Fortuna High principal Mr. Clint Duey.

The advantages of this program is exposing students to new environments, cultures, and gives them a chance to learn new things through the students and staff at Fortuna High. The expenses are self-funded, meaning that each student has to come up with the money for a plane ticket into the country, but the program is sponsored by the Rotary Club.

Pauline Willing, from Germany, is one of our three foreign exchange students here at FUHS for the 2017-2018 school year. In Germany, Pauline’s school is known as a Realschule, it holds 10 grades and it has the same students in every class. Their schedules change day to day. Pauline came to this school to see another country and it’s culture. Although, she has been learning English since the 5th grade, moving here has helped her overcome the language barrier as she learns more of the language every day. Her favorite class at FUHS is the fitness and flexibility offered by Coach Lynch.

“I am really happy with my decision to come here. In this short time, I learned a lot and I’m without my family so it's all my own decision, which is really cool," explains Pauline when asked about her decision in coming to America.

Marta Majo-Dafauce

By Tanner Baum

Fortuna High Senior Marta Majo-Dafauce is a foreign exchange student from Madrid, Spain. She is not yet a fluent speaker in English, but she wants to grow in her abilities. Marta just joined the program for the exchange students this year. She was able to become a foreign exchange student because of the Fortuna Rotary Club.

She became an exchange student for her parents; they want her to become a good English speaker. Marta comes from Madrid, Spain which is all the way across the Atlantic. She said that it is hotter in Madrid during the summer, but it also snows in the winter.

Marta’s school in Spain was a lot different than our local school. She said, “In Madrid our school work is a lot harder.” At her school, all the rules seem more strict. In her school they have a uniform to wear to school everyday, and they go to school from 9:00 to 5:00.