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This summer, two Oconomowoc High School students earned full scholarships to study overseas through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y).
Megan Grosspietsch, 16, studied Korean in Seoul, South Korea, through iEARN, and Anthony Bruno, 17, explored Hindi in Indore, India, through AFS Intercultural Programs.
The NSLI-Y program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and provides full merit-based scholarships for eligible high school students to learn less commonly taught languages in summer and academic-year overseas immersion programs.
"I lived with my host family in Incheon and attended Seogang University in Seoul," Grosspietsch said. "I would take a bus, then the subway and then walk the rest of the way, and it would take an hour and a half to get to school. It was such a worthwhile experience and I loved my teachers."
Besides studying the Korean language for four hours a day, she also had the opportunity to learn about the culture, traditions and customs of the South Korean people.
"I'll never forget when I ate a live octopus. It was plopped onto my plate during dinner and I didn't want to seem rude so I put it in my mouth. It was sucking my gums and the roof of my mouth so I just swallowed it," she said.
Grosspietsch admits she was nervous at first to travel so far away from home.
"I had never been away from my parents for more than a week. But I knew I had a purpose for being there and I became so close with my new Korean friends and also the American students that were studying there. It was such a worthwhile experience and it really changed my life," she said.
Students applying for the NSLI-Y program can list their top three choices of countries they hope to visit. Anthony Bruno's first choice was India. After a 19-hour flight from New York to Delhi, the 17 year old traveled another 18 hours by train to Indore.
"The first thing that hit me when I left the airport was the smells of all the spices and traffic, and there are so many people. I didn't know anything about the culture yet and boom - I'm in India. My mind had to catch up to it, and then I was out there experiencing it all over again," he said.
His studies focused on the Hindi language, as well as the culture and traditions of India, including ceremonial dances. He also had the opportunity to visit the city's marketplace, historical landmarks and temples.
"The hospitality of the Indian people is just heartwarming and so contagious. I felt like a better person because they cared for me so much, and I wanted to make other people feel that way," he said. "It was such an eye-opening experience and it brought the world into perspective. It was the best experience I could ever have. I want to go back to India someday."
NSLI-Y program
NSLI-Y is part of a U.S. government initiative that prepares American citizens to be leaders in a global world by providing opportunities to American youth with the hope of inspiring a lifetime interest in language learning.
Stephany Freedman is a volunteer for the Oconomowoc Chapter for AFS Intercultural Programs and assists students interested in international studies. Her daughter, Genevieve, studied in Morocco last summer through the NSLI-Y program.
"The NSLI-Y program is a transformational experience for these students. They learn so much about the world and they also lean so much about themselves. It gives them a different perspective on America. The application process is very competitive, but if they win, it's a full scholarship and that is really awesome," Freedman said.
Students interested in applying for the NSLI-Y program, can visit www.nsliforyouth.org. The application deadline this year is Oct. 30, which is one week earlier than previous years.
Last year, Oconomowoc High School received the "2014 Top AFS School" award from AFS-USA, an educational leader in international high school student exchange. This year, Oconomowoc AFS will also join with the OHS International Club to form the Oconomowoc AFS International Club.
The local Oconomowoc AFS Chapter is made up of volunteers that work closely with the school, students and families to ensure a successful experience. In its 55 years of partnership with AFS, Oconomowoc High School has hosted more than 100 students and has sent 97 students abroad.
For more information about AFS and international student exchange opportunities at Oconomowoc High School, visit the Oconomowoc AFS Facebook page, www.facebook.com/OconomowocAFS.