Harwood prides itself on its cultural outreach, and following with that value, it hosts several exchange students each year. This year, it is hosting six, each from different countries.
One of the six, Ola Romanowska, is originally from Rypin, Poland, (population 16,500). Located in Central Poland, Rypin is “about three hours from the beach and three hours from the mountains.” Romanowska, a senior, had always wanted to study in the United States: “It was always a big dream and in all of the movies. I wanted to try life like this and challenge myself, just to do something.”
The application process for studying abroad began last winter, around November, and Romanowska had to fill out piles of paperwork about her school, her family, and her medical history. “After I submitted my application, I just had to wait,” she said.
Placement with a host family wasn’t guaranteed, and she didn’t hear back from the program until the spring. Upon learning that she would be placed in Waterbury, Romanowska tried to avoid arriving with any expectations: she had never heard of Vermont, and her family told her several wonderful things about the culture there – that the people were “healthy and educated,” that the climate was nice, and that there was plenty of nature. “I like living in the mountains,” said Romanowska. “I can see something different from home.”
Although she’s only been in Vermont for two months, Romanowska says her favorite part thus far has been the school, its community, and its people. “There’s a lot of stuff to do. Every day, I’m surprised about how the school works.”
In Poland, she said, “No one stays at school. They leave whenever they get the chance. Here, it’s the opposite: people actually participate, and people want to be part of the school.” She has joined the school’s volleyball team, where she was pleasantly surprised at how many games could be played in such a short amount of time.
She is excited for the “constant snowboarding” opportunities within reach; in Europe, she could only snowboard on vacation. She may join the hockey team: she’s never played before, but it’s “the only chance [she’ll] have to try hockey.”
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