New foreign exchange student Candela Esteban Ortiz made the journey from Madrid, Spain to Paso Robles to live for the next ten months. Welcoming the exciting new experience, Esteban Ortiz wanted the opportunity to improve her English and get to know other cultures.
In Madrid she loved to go to the gym, hang out with her friends, and watch Netflix while staying in, but also loved to travel. From the list of countries she has been to before which ranges from France to Russia, her favorite place has been New York. Loving the east coast, Esteban Ortiz was looking forward to checking out the other coast of the United States.
While considering sports in the future Esteban Ortiz is also appreciating the different academic pace here at PRHS.
“There I have to study a lot, it’s the first thing I have to do. Here it’s more light and more chill, I like it,” Esteban Ortiz mentioned while comparing the two school systems.
Although the academic culture in the United States is more relaxed, the transition was not one hundred percent smooth-- the biggest obstacle being the different levels of English.
“It’s hard to continue with the classes like with the teachers because sometimes I don’t understand them so it's hard,” Esteban Ortiz said. Overcoming the everyday challenge, she turns to fellow Spanish speaking students or Google Translate as a last resort.
After traveling 5,829 miles to Paso Robles Esteban Ortiz had a film-like expectation.
“Yeah I thought this was going to be like a film, like High School Musical.” She was not disappointed, seeing how it is in fact different from the movies, but that difference is still enjoyable.
“Yeah I thought this was going to be like a film, like High School Musical”
Along with missing her family, friends, and food from back home, she is also missing the abundance of public transportation in Madrid. Still having not explored the area to the fullest, Esteban Ortiz is most looking forward to seeing big cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco with a special anticipation to experience touring Hollywood.