Have you met Homer’s newest foreign exchange student, Kkanche? One of our writers, Jared Pace, asked her some questions to get to know her. Here’s what she had to say:
Q: Where are you from? Can you speak any other languages?
My name is Kkanche Ratadia. I am from a city called Coimbatore in southern India. I speak four languages fluently: Hindi, Tamil, English and Marwadi! I did learn a little bit of German!
Q: Are there any major differences between India and America?
The American culture is a lot different from the Indian culture. Its a lot more free, but it has its negatives, too. The food is definitely less seasoned and less spicy, but the variety is similar.
Q: How are the schools different?
The schools in India don't give you subject electives. I study twelve subjects from the 6th grade to the 10th grade. We don't go from class to class; the teachers come to our classes. There are fewer students in each grade because not all the kids go to the same school. There are about thirty schools in and around Coimbatore.
Q: Which classes in Homer are your favorites?
I like all the classes here because the way of teaching is really different from the way of teaching in India. The teachers here are as good as they are at home. I have so many favourites that it would be unfair to pick one.
Q: What is your favorite part of America?
The weather, the silence because we are in Homer, the food, the people, the kids.... everything is really nice. I don't think there is anything I dislike about America - except for the weather, which is not bad, but it will take me some time to adapt to it. I have an amazing host family, and they don't let me feel home-sick. I am in the process of making loads of friends.
Q: What do you miss about back home?
I miss the heat, for sure, but its a nice break from the hot, humid climate. I have twin brothers who are in 5th grade, and I kind of miss them!
Q: Do you have any pets?
I don't have any pets, but I would love to have a guinea pig or a hamster.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
I love listening to music. I read books, draw, play the guitar, and practice the piano. I also like writing because that's one way for me to get my thoughts straight. I also think that sometimes things that cannot be expressed verbally gain justice on paper!
Q: Do you have a role model?
I model the good in everyone. I don't have a specific role model.
Q: Is there something you have learned in America that you did not expect?
Nothing is the way you expect it to be. You will always be surprised by the things you expect, too. So I decided to come on this adventure with no expectations in mind so that I wouldn't be disappointed. I’ve learned an amazing amount of things in this one month itself. Imagine what a year will do to my knowledge!
Q: How do you stay in touch with your family back home?
I am lucky to be an exchange student in the 21st century because we have WiFi and the Internet, without which the I wouldn't be able to stay in touch with my family or friends. There is an app called Whatsapp that helps me keep in touch with my loved ones. But it’s mostly an exchange of messages and pictures. I also use Viber to call home probably once or twice in a week. It’s difficult to Skype because of the huge time difference (ten hours). But I do manage it once a week because my parents and brothers miss me a lot, and I miss them!
Q: Have you visited any other countries?
I have a little foreign experience, which kind of prepared me for this trip. I was an exchange student in the 8th grade for 21 days to Germany . I have been to Egypt and Singapore with my family. I have also been to NASA with my school in the 9th grade!
Q: What do you plan to do when you grow up?
I have not yet decided what my path for the future will be, but I will go the way life leads me, and I'm sure I will find out where I belong! That is one of the reasons I am happy to be an exchange student to America, because I don't have to decide what I would like to do further on in life in the 11th grade, which I would have had to do in India.
Q: Why did you decide to become a foreign exchange student?
I love going to new places and meeting new people. I am a crazy photographer. I am really interested in how the world works, which I don't think any kid would understand until they actually see the world. The Rotary Exchange was the perfect thing for me because if I did ever come to the U.S. later on in life, I don't think I would have had a chance to experience all the things I am experiencing now. I would have come with the name tag of a tourist, who had dreams of seeing the Grand Canyon or the Statue of Liberty, not as a student, who could go apple picking or to a game night with her friends. I would come to see and experience things not to learn them. I want to bring some good here and take some back home! The basic motto of the adventure is:
“EXPERIENCE, EXPRESS, EVOLVE!”
