This winter, Jackson Prep served as the host for a group of International Students from China. Among them were 12-year-olds, Andy, Julius, Evan, Alex, and 16-year-old Stella. The students hail from various parts of China, including Dalian, Beijing, Shenyang, and Shang Chi. However, despite their various backgrounds, they all brought an exciting new take to the Prep experience.
For the students transitioning to American high school life was an unexpected breeze. Many of them were struck by the laid-back atmosphere and free-form structure, compared to their school lives back home. In fact, the students’ favorite classes were representative of the newfound exploration of interests by the international students.
Stella, a student from Dalian, expressed how much she loved exploring the diverse educational environments of both Virtual Reality and Physics. She explained that she loved experimenting with different technologies and ways of thinking in both classes.
Another class that was a big hit with the group of students was Geography. They loved to learn about new countries and cultures from the American perspective. Moreover, they loved the entertainment of new and exciting extracurricular activities. In particular, the students loved to partake in Basketball.
They explained that in China they didn’t have as much time to explore all of their interests or try new activities, like Basketball. Their daily schedule back home started with school at 6 am where they stayed until 6 pm, with a huge amount of homework to follow. Furthermore, they have only one day off a week, compared to our two day weekend. Additionally, the students explained that they appreciated Prep’s fun approach to learning. In China, classes were often arduous beyond measure. However, at Prep, the students were given the opportunity to truly enjoy the subject area which they pursued.
One thing that all of the international students were in awe of was the food. They were ecstatic to try traditional American delicacies like hamburgers, pizza, and French fries. It is important to note that they favored ice cream much more than American style cake. One of their biggest culture shocks was America’s dependence on fast-food. The students explained that their families worked together to cook meals each day, whereas many Americans are not as hesitant about getting fast food multiple times a week.
As they reminisced on their time in the U.S. and what they would miss the most, they expressed their fondness for the freedom and flexibility of the American school system in comparison to the Chinese version. They also appreciated the friendliness and fascination that their American classmates showed them during their time at Prep. Even though the students are excited to return home and be reunited with their families, they also already miss the fast-friends they have made. Overall, the students have brought a fresh perspective to Prep, and have helped us all understand the diversity of the world around us.
