Cheney hosting student from Spain

CHENEY - An exchange student spending the year here from Spain is finding she likes the local high school.

"It has a lot of things that let you socialize with people," Coral Manjon Coello, 16, said. "For example, you have clubs. You have sports and you have the band...

"That is something, in my country, they don't have."

The student from Madrid is a junior involved in several clubs, including the All Things Mountain and Key clubs.

She plans to play basketball during the winter sports season, and recently wrapped up volleyball.

In school, she said she likes being able to choose subjects and the variety of things to do. She said her favorite class last quarter was Team Games.

"We just play different team games like volleyball, basketball and soccer." Coello said of the Team Games class.

Hosted by Grant and Sophia Temple, during her free time, she said likes to hang out and explore the area.

Coello said she finds people here careing.

"I feel like the teachers here care more about their students," she said. "They talk to their students and ask them if they are okay and if they had a good weekend."

She said in her country, sometimes the teachers talk to the students, but it's usually a special occasion.

American students are lucky because, "during the week they don't have so many assignments and it is not as hard as studying in Spain," she said. "They have more free time and they can choose to stay at home and relax or they can even hang out during the week."

In Spain, students have to study during the week and don't have time for socializing or relaxing at home.

She said she notices a lot of differences here.

But what surprised her the most is that "Americans consume a lot of things."

"Every day, they are always buying a drink or a snack or something," she said.

Although she did not have many expectations upon arrival, she did expect to make friends a lot sooner than she did.

"I realize that settling down in another country takes time and patience so that changed my expectations," she said. "I knew I would have more fun in high school in America than Spain."

Coello said she misses home, but looks forward to going to Arizona with her host family this Thanksgiving.

"I hope to gain a lot of independence," she said. "Being here alone without your parents, your friends, or anyone you know, is challenging and you get a lot of independence."

Although she is looking forward to reuniting with friends and family in Spain, she is hoping this experience will make her more independent.

She said although she has no concrete plans after graduation.

"I will study something related to biology or with physical education," she said "I may study abroad and attend an American university. I have no idea."

Reporter Sarah Stephens may be emailed at features@cheneyfreepress.com.