Recently, during an assembly in the US Commons, Global Education Coordinator and Spanish teacher Mrs. Jen Hambrick announced that the Sister School Exchange Program will begin soon, with applications to participate available now. 

The exchange program has been part of Saint Stephen’s Global education initiative since 2007, and trips are made available more and more each year. According to Hambrick, this year, there will be three global connections: Spain, Denmark, and Argentina. 

“Two of the programs are an exchange trip [Argentina and Denmark], where a Saint Stephen’s Student will host a student from our sister school, and then also be hosted by them when we visit their school,” Hambrick said.

The Argentina trip is planned for Feb. 2-13, and the Denmark trip runs shortly after from Feb. 17-25. Finally, the visit to Spain will depart on Feb. 15 and return on the 23rd.

Falcons traveling to Denmark will head to Eisbjerghus Efter School in Nørre Aaby, where they will stay in dorms at the school with their hosts. Here, they will visit landmarks, and participate in cultural activities. This will give them a chance to learn more about Danish life. 

Students will visit Cordoba, Argentina, where they can participate in exciting activities and trips that will educate them about the school’s history and connection to Saint Stephens. After these exchange trips, the Argentinian and Danish students will travel to Saint Stephen’s.  

The only non-exchange trip planned for this year is a homestay in Spain. For this trip, interested Falcons will travel to Barcarrota, Spain to live with host families for the duration.

Sanjay Dastidar, a junior who has been on two exchange trips, said the experience was a great experience, and the students were very welcoming.

“I’d say that the best thing was interacting with the other students there, because all the other kids at the school were excited to have visitors, and their whole school is based around having visitors,” Dastidar stated.

Dastidar was also present on the Argentina trip, and had many good things to say about it, like the school’s history and his experience there.

“It was cool to learn about the school and its history, because the school had been there for 300 years, and they had a nice campus, with a cool courtyard and an old-style ambiance.”

Interested students should see Mrs. Cotton for an application.