It is a different kind of foreign exchange student experience - one riddled with unexpected flights back home.
The coronavirus pandemic has shortened many Academic Year in America (AYA) members' stays in North Dakota. AYA coordinator Cathy Scott of Spiritwood has helped to manage the stays of nine foreign exchange students since their arrival. Three of the nine students have returned to their home country since the pandemic. A decision regarding the other six has still to be made.
"If a student was to become sick here and hospitalized and not be able to fly home on her original date that could present another problem or concern," Scott said. "(Parents) were also concerned about her insurance coverage. Those are the two big concerns that the virus has caused with the foreign exchange program."
Scott said potential issues with travel visas expiring have also been expressed to her, host families and the students themselves regarding dates. More qualms were raised regarding host families and the ability to support another person during the pandemic due to many businesses shutting down and workloads lightening.
"These are all reasons for the organization to encourage the kids to go home early and not wait this out," Scott said. "It's not known if it is going to get better or if it is going to get worse or when it is going to end. It's hard for us here (because we are) thinking 'they are so safe here right now - why put them into something that is worse?'"
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One AYA host mom, Amanda Krueger, said she understood concerns but was apprehensive to send students back in the midst of the pandemic. North Dakota has seen 341 positive cases of COVID-19 since March 11 as of April 15. There have been nine deaths due to the virus in North Dakota.
"I get it but on the other hand we were more worried for them," Krueger said. "They were here in North Dakota where it's probably safer than anywhere else."
North Dakota is one of four states in the U.S. with under 400 positive cases of COVID-19. Montana sits at 399 total cases while Wyoming sits at 282. Alaska has reported 272 positive cases since the outbreak of the virus.
Krueger and her family hosted Amandine Declercq - a student from Belgium. She was enrolled at Jamestown High School as a junior though she had already finished her education in Belgium. Declercq and her parents communicated with the Belgian organization explaining the desire to stay in North Dakota until the virus was contained.
"Her parents didn't really want her to travel or head home either, they would have liked her to stay here but it was her Belgium organization that booked her tickets," Krueger said.
A few weeks ago Declercq was told by the Belgian organization she would be able to stay with the Krueger family until her scheduled departure date of June 2. On April 3, Amandine received an email containing plane tickets and a flight itinerary that ordered a departure on April 5 at 7 a.m. Krueger said it was a challenging goodbye on both sides.
"She was a very likable, very sweet girl - we'll never have (a student) like her again," Krueger said. "We were all very shocked. (The news) was tough on everybody."
Krueger said she thought Declercq had had a memorable experience as a foreign exchange student even though it was cut short. The family took trips to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and to Iowa. Before setting foot on North Dakota soil Declercq had only attended one hockey game and by the time her plane was on the way to Belgium the JHS junior had attended 63.
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The Krueger clan has communicated with her since leaving and confirmed her safe arrival back in Belgium.
"The organization feels they are just better off with their natural parents if they should become sick than they are if they are way over here," Scott said. "Those are some of the concerns that have expressed."
In the midst of a challenging and concerning time for students and their biological and host families, some have deemed it safer to stay on American soil at this time.
"I would rather stay because the situation is so much better here for now," said Sofia Porro, an Italian student enrolled at JHS. " I would go through a dangerous and scaring travel since all the flights may be canceled at any time. I might be stuck at one random airport for hours and I also would take 4 to 5 flights with long layovers between each one."
As of April 15, Italian health officials have confirmed 162,488 positive coronavirus cases in the country. There have been 21,067 deaths due to the virus in Italy. Worldwide the number of reported positive cases has reached 2,006,513 while the death toll has increased to 128,886.
"I feel good and happy here," Porro said of her situation. "Everything became usual so it would be shocking to go back to my country and restart my "old" life, which would start with 14 days of quarantine in my room. Also, I go running outside almost every day here. In Italy, they are in a complete lockdown right now. That includes staying within 650 feet from their house which means they can't go for a run or a jog or a walk, just stay in their yard, which would keep me from running."
It is still to be determined if Porro will be one of the several foreign exchange students sent back home. Even though the possibility lingers and a wrench was thrown into Porro's expectations for the year abroad, she still encouraged others to consider spending time in a different sort of culture.
"Whoever has the possibility to do the year abroad, even if the idea of staying away from your family and friends for a long time could sound scary, it changes your life forever," Porro said. "If you have the possibility to go for it. It’s crazy how different are things in another country. I think everything is different here, the school system, the food, the health system, people’s attitudes, the relationships and lots of other things that I’ve found out just doing this experience."
