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‘A lifetime in a year’

Rotary students enjoy Waupaca experience

By Angie Landsverk
There are three exchange students at Waupaca High School this school year.

Ally Shamiso Valentine Mukwazhi, Phil Carstensen and Margherita Trazzi are here through the Rotary Youth Exchange program.

Mukwazhi is from Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.

She arrived here in January, coordinating with her school year back home.

Mukwazhi turned 18 in June and said, “I’ve always had a love for traveling.”

She loves her country and thought this would be a way to change the view some people have of African countries.

“It gives you an opportunity to be an ambassador for your country,” she said.

Attending school in a community of about 6,000 people is different for her. She likes it.

“I don’t have the distractions of city life,” Mukwazhi said.

She has learned to appreciate the smaller things in life.

Mukwazhi has immersed herself in Waupaca High School.

She was involved in forensics and is part of the dance team, Link Crew and Pep Club, while also having a lead role in this year’s musical.

Her estimated departure date is Jan. 20.

She will then get ready for college, hoping to return to the United States to study international business here.

“Exchange is not a year in a life. It’s a lifetime in a year,” she said. “You get to live more of your life. It’s an opportunity to grow as a person. You learn to be proud of your country, and you learn to love another country.”

Carstensen is from Berlin, Germany.

The 15-year-old arrived in Waupaca about a month ago.

Carstensen is interested in meeting people from other cultures.

He wanted to spend a year in the United States.

“It’s the country of liberty, the country of freedom, the home of so many things that shaped the world –the ideal of freedom,” he said.

Carstensen said, “It still seems so surreal being in the United States. A lot of times, it’s like walking on a movie set, it’s so authentic.”

He feels lucky to be in the country he most wanted to go to.

“I think with Rotary, no matter which country and which part of it, it’s going to be outstanding,” he said. “The exchange will be nothing but great. It will probably be the best year in your life.”

Carstensen wants to play baseball next spring.

While he has never played it, he describes it as the “most American sport.”

He plays tennis, and there is talk of him coaching a team at Waupaca Middle School.

Carstensen is also interested in becoming part of FBLA.

He has gone to Waupaca’s varsity football games and loves the social aspect of the experience.

“It’s such a cool sport. Everyone is cheering. It’s a great way to start the weekend.”

He says, “Waupaca is a beautiful town. It’s a very supportive community. The infrastructure is great. It’s a nice place to go.”

He describes the area as authentic.

“So far, it’s going ridiculously well. I would recommend everyone doing the exchange,” he said.

Carstensen believes a global view is important.

“The world is way too beautiful to stay at home,” he said.

After his exchange year, Carstensen will finish high school.

He hopes to then study international business or corporate law, and also has an interest in politics.

Trazzi is from Biella, a city of about 50,000 located between Milan and Turin.

She is 17 years old.

“I started to think about this year two years ago,” she said of being an exchange student.

Some of her friends have been exchange students.

“I was excited for knowing new people, a new language, new culture.”

Trazzi also arrived here about a month ago.

“I was terrified before I left,” she said. “I realized tomorrow my life will change – not only for tomorrow, but for always.”

She looks forward to meeting new people.

Her host family is becoming a second family for her.

Spending a year in North America ranked highest for her.

“Every teenager dreams of the United States,” Trazzi said. “It’s really strange to be here.”

Trazzi auditioned for Waupaca High School’s dance team, and made it.

She went along with her host family when they took their children to college in Madison and Superior.

Trazzi quickly noticed differences between going to school here and back home in Italy.

At her school, students may leave the campus for lunch.

Sports are not part of school. They are club activities.

All three students said in their countries, they do not get to choose which classes they take.

Carstenen described the system here as more progressive and geared toward individuals.

He likes it.

In Italy, Rotarians told Trazzi it would be best for her if her exchange was in a smaller community.

“I love Waupaca,” she said.

She is happy to be here, and said people are kind.

The one difficulty for her is the language, as she is continuing to learn English.

Trazzi is the first Italian to be here through the Rotary program.

“I think I would come back to the U.S. if possible for university,” she said.

Brett Grams is the youth exchange officer for the Waupaca Rotary Club.

“We’re always looking for host families,” he said. “Our youth exchange program is very successful.”

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