Dufour is staying with VonRuden family in NYM

By Tucker Henderson

Reporter

Elsa Dufour joins the New York Mills High School senior class as the district’s lone foreign exchange student this year. She hails from Charleroi, a city in the French-speaking region of Belgium.

Dufour has been in the United States since August 23 and is staying with the Anthony and Stephanie VonRuden family while in NY Mills. Through the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) program, she is looking forward to learning as much as she can about American life and culture.

“I’m here to discover new culture,” said Dufour. “That was one of my goals and school here was something that attracted me, so that’s why I decided to come here, to discover new people and the culture.

“And also improving my English. I thought it was good, but sometimes when I hear people talking here, it’s complicated to understand and respond,” she continued. “It’s a wonderful experience. My host family, they are very sweet, I feel very good with them.”

Stepping into the VonRuden family was a blessing for Dufour as what she misses most being in the United States is her family back home.

“It was complicated the first days, just not being with them everyday. I send messages, like voice notes, to share things. I would say that I see them in things I do, I hear, I see, so it’s like they’re sharing this with me,” she said.

Though she doesn’t consider most of her transition to life in the States as a culture shock, Dufour has noticed several changes that she didn’t expect.

“I don’t know if its culture shock, but something that impressed me is how everything here is huge,” she explained. “In stores, even cars are bigger, everything is big. I wouldn’t say it’s such shock, it’s just impressive, but I’m almost used to it now.

“Also, at school, everybody can wear what they want, like sweatpants,” she continued. “That’s something I couldn’t do in my previous school and I think it’s great. I didn’t know it was going to be like that. I would say that’s more shock, but a great shock.”

Another aspect of American life that was interesting to Dufour came when school started and the differences between her school back in Belgium and student life in NY Mills became clear.

“It’s pretty different because you have more options, very different classes, more creative ones,” she said. “It helps you to go to something that you like and I would say that it makes you want to go to school.

“The choice of clubs is great because you meet new people,” she continued. “I think school here is more about so the student can feel comfortable, and the social life too, to meet people. I think it’s great. Just for me, with English it’s complicated, but yeah, it’s a great place.”