Gothenburg High School was blessed ample to count a overseas trade college student amid their university student system and Course of 2021, but if you request Hugo Morau, he would say he was the fortunate a person. In the midst of a world pandemic, Hugo wasn’t specific the exchange plan was an chance he would get this previous calendar year.
Hugo is from Holleiken, Sweden – a region that his host dad and mom below, Lisa and Brad Jorgenson – are extremely common with. Lisa was an exchange pupil to Sweden when she attended Gothenburg Higher College through the 1989-90 university year. Her daughter, Madeline, followed in people exact footsteps and is at present in Sweden as a result of an trade plan – the very first GHS pupil to do so given that her mom’s class. Nevertheless, the regional Rotary club has hosted a number of pupils during that time.
It was that software that Hugo was at first enrolled in. Nevertheless, when Rotary canceled the system for the 2020-21 university calendar year due to Covid, Hugo and his spouse and children resolved to get a distinctive route. He applied by way of an exchange program regarded as STS and was assigned to a college in Washington point out. Ironically, Hugo’s relatives was supposed to be the host spouse and children in Sweden this calendar year for Madeline.
“We had currently gotten to know them by speaking with them, so we ended up signing up with this other business as effectively, and hosted Hugo for this yr. So relatively than his loved ones getting the host family members for Madeline, we ended up being the host loved ones for Hugo,” Lisa explained. “So that was a actually interesting offer.”
“It’s been a very particular calendar year,” claimed Hugo as he resolved the Gothenburg Rotary Club about his practical experience. “Not several exchange students can say they were being here for the duration of a U.S. election and a global pandemic. It will unquestionably be memorable for me.”
Even through the pandemic, nevertheless, Hugo stated there have been many matters he was even now capable to enjoy in the course of his year here. 1 of those people was golfing, exactly where he was a lettering member of the GHS boys varsity golfing workforce and attained the Ideal Teammate Award as voted on by his friends. “I’ve been carrying out a great deal of that, as it is a person of the few sports activities I basically can do,” Hugo said with a chuckle. “We never truly have that in Sweden – a golfing crew that is element of college.” Hugo also participated in the 1 Act Participate in at GHS this year as part of the stage crew.
He shared that there is a massive distinction in the school techniques amongst the two nations. “High university in Sweden is structured much more like college. We have a lot more block schedules and extended lessons, so that was a tiny confusing at initial,” he said. “We also have to use to significant school in ninth quality. So it’s been a minor unique below to see pupils who have been going to college with the similar men and women for all 12 yrs, and to see how shut every person in the class is.”
Hugo spelled out that the grades pupils receive in ninth grade are then taken into consideration as the learners utilize for significant university. The higher educational facilities provide distinctive programs which match a student’s strengths or passions. Those courses contain technological know-how, overall economy, enterprise, character – which is far more for health professionals and experts, and a great arts sort software.
Pupils may perhaps also pick out to show up at faculty somewhere other than their hometown, so they normally have students from various diverse metropolitan areas represented at a higher college. He explained it is also pretty aggressive, so these scoring the best grades in every single place have desire for available spots in that faculty. “That also signifies that the people who are there really want to be there, so we really do not have detention or anything like that. Instead, if 1 man or woman misses a lot of university he can eliminate his spot,” he explained. Hugo is likely the technologies line, focused toward engineering.
Regrettably, this school yr did not rely for Hugo back again property, so when he returns to Sweden he will have to comprehensive his senior 12 months of large school. “But I get two senior yrs, so I just cannot definitely complain. I get two graduations so that will be wonderful.”
Whilst listed here on trade, Hugo did have the possibility to do a small little bit of touring and see a couple sights. He expert a trip to Chicago, has been snowboarding, and visited Mt. Rushmore. “It was snowing when we were being there so it type of looked like George Washington was crying,” he shared with a giggle. He also attended Husker football and baseball game titles, as nicely as a important league baseball recreation even though in Chicago.
“We also experienced two school dances, and that was enjoyment,” said Hugo. “We have almost nothing like that in Sweden so that was distinctive.”
When requested what he is heading to pass up about Gothenburg when he returns to Sweden, Hugo replied, “Just the closeness of the community – how everyone exhibits up at online games and everyone is with each other,” he explained.