By: Abby Miller
On March 13th 2020, Redwood’s foreign exchange students were faced with a difficult decision. School was locked down, but their time in the United States hadn’t ended.
Tatyana Zhukova ’20, was a foreign exchange student from Turkmenistan who spent last year at Redwood. She said when COVID hit she was not forced to go home, her country had its borders closed and her government “encouraged us to stay where we were.”
Zhukova says, “[During] the first days of pandemic I had to change not only my host family, but also the city I lived in […] that was pretty stressful. Such a quick change in my lifestyle definitely affected me, but my new host family, with whom I still live, made it easier to overcome.”
She still has not returned home but is planning to fly back soon. She says, “I believe I’m going to have something like a culture shock, so I’m just getting mentally ready for that”.
Having spent the last year in California, she “[has] very mixed feelings about my upcoming travel back home. I’m so used to the ‘American way of life’.”
Zhukova has really bonded with her American Family. She says, “I’m definitely going to miss my host family, my friends and just people here. It feels like I’m leaving a part of me here. This is heartbreaking, but I’m staying as positive as possible.”
In the days leading up to her traveling home, she has been spending time at the coast and enjoying the company of her host family.
Foreign exchange student Kaja Rundager has already gone back home to Denmark.
Rundager says, “In the beginning, I thought the virus wouldn’t spread as much as it did. But, when I understood the seriousness, I got really scared that I either was [going to be] forced to leave USA, or that I would be stuck there for a long time and couldn’t come home.”
Rundager’s country and her Rotary Club did want her to come back, “but it was our choice in the end, they didn’t force us.”
Even if her time at Redwood High School was cut short by three months due to the pandemic, and she was unable to attend things such as graduation or prom, Rundager “couldn’t be more satisfied with the eight months that [she] got.”
Abigail Miller
Abigail Miller '22 is currently a fourth-year member of the Redwood Gigantea. As the Government & Politics page editor, lead photographer, and photography editor, she has published over 100 photo galleries capturing Redwood's most memorable moments. She owns her own photography business, Abigail Miller Photography, which you can find in the link below.
https://abigailmiller.zenfolio.com
Tags: clubs & lifestyles, covid, foreign exchange students, high school, pandemic, travel
