The Coronado Melting Pot

Photo Credit: Madison Walker

Bella Ishmaera is an exchange student from Ufa, Russia.

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October 10, 2012 • Madison Walker, Business Editor  
Filed under Student Life, Top Stories

Coronado has had more foreign exchange students this year than any previous year. In the 2012-2013 school year, Coronado has become more culturally diverse due to the high number of exchange students. So far, many of the exchange students are enjoying Lubbock, especially Bella Ishmaera who said Lubbock is, “very exciting!”

Ishmaera, from Ufa, Russia, comes from a city with more than one million people. However, Ishmaera loves the friendliness of the Mustangs.

“The teachers here are very friendly and laidback,” Ishmaera said, “They even call me ‘honey’ and ‘sweetie’.”

At Ishmaer’s school in Russia, they are required to wear a uniform consisting of a white shirt and black pants. One of Ishmaera’s favorite things about Coronado is being able to “express yourself through your clothes.”

Hiroyo Masuda, a Japanese student, has traveled from Yokohama to Lubbock, Texas. While Ishmaera enjoys the dress code freedom, Masuda enjoys the home-cooked meals. Masuda’s favorite food here is the all-American meatloaf.

“I had it for dinner last night,” Masuda said. “It was very good.” Overall, Masuda is enjoying the “kind people, and awesome host family, “she said.

Palita “Nook” Chayamitr, from Thailand, agrees on how nice the people are here and has already “made some good friends,” Chayamitr said. Because of Chayamitr’s completely different school customs in Thailand, she says making friends at Coronado is much easier.

At Chayamitr’s school, you do not walk from class to class, but instead, “the teachers come to the class you’re in,” Chayamitr said. Chayamitr enjoys making new friends in each class instead of having the same people in your class all day as in her school in Thailand. Overall, Chayamitr said this experience has made her more outgoing.

“I’m braver, and more willing to try new things,” Chayamitr said.

Not only are foreign exchange students affected by this experience, but host families as well. Renne Samples, a host and coordinator for exchange students, is an attendance secretary in the CHS main office. Samples has always loved other countries and had a Vietnamese friend, which inspired her to being a host for exchange students. Samples favorite part of this experience is the relationships she forms with her exchange students.

“You are a mom to kids all over the world,” Samples said.

Although it is tough to have to teach some of the kids English, Samples loves being a coordinator/host to foreign exchange students.

Coronado’s foreign exchange students have taught us to appreciate our friendly atmosphere, freedom of expression, and even cherish our home cooked meals.

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