After a delay in their travels due to a pilots’ strike, our sister school exchange visitors from Colegio Nacional de Monserrat in Argentina have arrived.

As the students acclimate to life here at Saint Stephen’s, fun events have been planned for their time here in America, such as Attending classes with their buddies, a photoshoot with Freddy Falcon, pizza parties, and visiting the Ringling Museum in Sarasota.

This is the 2nd time the Colegio has visited Saint Stephen’s: the first time since the pandemic.

“We’re so excited to have them back at Saint Stephen’s,” Director of Global Education, & Modern and Classical Languages Vice Chair, Jennifer Hambrick, said. “Let’s all make sure they have a great time!”

Our relationship with Colegio Nacional de Monserrat started with a single exchange student, who came to Saint Stephen’s in the 90s. 

That student became an English teacher at Colegio Nacional de Monserrat, and she now heads the exchange program. 

One of the core goals of our exchange programs is the sharing of cultures and the broadening of horizons for students at SSES.  Mrs. Hambrick commented on the learning that happens when cultures exchange ideas and values.

“The whole point of exchanges is to learn from each other,” Hambrick said. “When you’re living the life of somebody your age in a different country, that’s when you can learn so much about what life is like in that country.”

Hambrick added that experiencing the differences around the globe is what brings beauty to our lives.

 “Differences make the world beautiful and I hope we notice things we have in common and also things we differ in.” 

Here at Saint Stephen’s, we love to travel the world and experience different cultures, whether it be to sister schools in Argentina, Tanzania, Denmark, or Nicaragua; it is a blessing to have these opportunities in life and we should all treat them as such.