The New Exchange Student by Ellen Martinsson
We have a new exchange student in our school from Thailand. Her name is Thanyakharnt Rakthin, but she goes by Iceko. She is 17 years old, born in 2005, and she is a senior at Saugatuck High School.
She is from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. She moved to the U.S on September 3rd, 2022, to do an exchange year in Muskegon. But now, after 2 months, she switched host families and moved from Muskegon to live here, in Saugatuck, instead. She moved to Saugatuck last Thursday, November 3rd, which means exactly after 2 months in the U.S.
Her first day of school was this Monday, November 7th. So far she really likes the school and the people attending it. She called our school “A nice small school with good teachers and nice students.”
Her host family is the Boerman’s. Her host family consists of a mom, a dad, a host sister, 3 dogs, and another exchange student, Tuva, who also goes to Saugatuck and is from Norway. She told me that she likes her host family, and that she is happy that she switched host families.
Iceko is planning on playing basketball and she said that she has played a little before, but not that much. She also said that she has played badminton before.
Iceko has Chemistry, Algebra, Civics, Fitness, and English. She likes Algebra the most because the class is easy and fun. Her year here doesn’t count in Thailand, so next trimester she could take classes that she wants to do, without caring that much about the level of the class. When she gets back from the U.S she is planning on attending university, majoring in engineering, food science, or business.
As most people know, Thailand doesn’t get snow. The only time there has been reports of a little snow in Thailand was during the winter in 1955. Because of this, Iceko has never seen snow before. She is excited for winter but also a little bit scared because of the cold. The weather in Saugatuck right now is 55 degrees Fahrenheit outside as of right now, and it is the coldest weather she has ever experienced. Let me just tell you, the winter is so, so much colder than what it is right now.
She is from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. She moved to the U.S on September 3rd, 2022, to do an exchange year in Muskegon. But now, after 2 months, she switched host families and moved from Muskegon to live here, in Saugatuck, instead. She moved to Saugatuck last Thursday, November 3rd, which means exactly after 2 months in the U.S.
Her first day of school was this Monday, November 7th. So far she really likes the school and the people attending it. She called our school “A nice small school with good teachers and nice students.”
Her host family is the Boerman’s. Her host family consists of a mom, a dad, a host sister, 3 dogs, and another exchange student, Tuva, who also goes to Saugatuck and is from Norway. She told me that she likes her host family, and that she is happy that she switched host families.
Iceko is planning on playing basketball and she said that she has played a little before, but not that much. She also said that she has played badminton before.
Iceko has Chemistry, Algebra, Civics, Fitness, and English. She likes Algebra the most because the class is easy and fun. Her year here doesn’t count in Thailand, so next trimester she could take classes that she wants to do, without caring that much about the level of the class. When she gets back from the U.S she is planning on attending university, majoring in engineering, food science, or business.
As most people know, Thailand doesn’t get snow. The only time there has been reports of a little snow in Thailand was during the winter in 1955. Because of this, Iceko has never seen snow before. She is excited for winter but also a little bit scared because of the cold. The weather in Saugatuck right now is 55 degrees Fahrenheit outside as of right now, and it is the coldest weather she has ever experienced. Let me just tell you, the winter is so, so much colder than what it is right now.