Photo by Zoe Lister
Zoe Lister
News Reporter
Lorena Silva, a junior at Newton South, is an exchange student from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Silva has been enthusiastic about participating in an exchange program for the first time, and learning what life is like in Newton.
Silva explains that there were many different reasons that affected her decision to participate in an exchange program, but one of the big ones is that she has relatives who had positive experiences with exchange programs.
“My cousins have participated in an exchange program. I was intrigued as well, so that’s what made me want to do [the exchange program]…It was also the fact that I wanted to improve my English, and become a little more independent, that I chose to participate in the program,” Silva said.
As well as becoming more fluent in English, and gaining a new sense of responsibility, Silva has been able to meet many people at South.
“The school is big, so you can meet a lot of different people. I also really appreciate the diversity. There are a lot of different cultures in one place. In Brazil, you don’t really have that a lot,” Silva said.
Silva explains that she has experienced a lot of growth through immersing herself in a new culture. She has even taken advantage of some opportunities that South provides in order to get more involved.
“I joined the Spanish club. It’s pretty cool because the people who are there have some Spanish heritage,” Silva said.
Silva’s native language is Portuguese, but she is very open and eager to explore the Spanish language. In addition to Spanish Club, Silva is also planning on joining indoor track once the season begins. She explains that she sees sports teams not only as a way to engage in physical activity, but also as an opportunity to make new friends.
Besides the extracurriculars, Silva has also been enjoying meeting people and taking interesting classes at South. Silva’s favorite course that she is taking this year is marketing with Ms. Derkoski.
“I like marketing class because it is a project based course. In a project where we designed a food truck, we developed our own business which was pretty cool,” Silva said.
Silva has been enjoying her year and classes so far, and is looking forward to further adapting and learning about life at South.
