Sarah Braga is a foreign exchange student at Owatonna High School. Braga is from San Jose dos Campos in Brazil. Braga said, “I came here because I wanted to know a culture almost totally different from mine, meet new people, become more responsible and also to be fluent in another language.”
Braga has noticed a huge difference at OHS compared to the school she attended in Brazil. OHS is drastically bigger in size than Braga’s school in Brazil. The rules and ways the school runs is a huge shift due to OHS offering so many different subjects, as well as the way the school is organized. Braga said, “I think the way we do math, it’s quite different too, because here you can use the calculator but in Brazil you usually [don’t].”
At OHS, Braga was a volleyball manager, but she has not found a sport here at OHS she would like to participate in. Braga hopes to find a sport to join before she has to return back to Brazil. In Brazil, Braga used to play volleyball and also had started doing jiu-jitsu.
Braga has had to make some huge adjustments since coming to the United States and has noticed different changes in culture and the environment. Living in the US comes with its fair share of changes. Braga said, “[The biggest change] would be the spice of food and the way people act. In Brazil, the people are warmer. People here are more reserved.”
Though coming to the US has been a huge change and adjustment for Braga, she feels supported and is having a great time. Braga says, “It’s quite different, but it’s fun. People are always helping me when I need it. This is a really cool experience.”
Read more about OHS foreign exchange students on ohsmagnet.com.
