Every year, over one million exchange students come to America to experience a different culture and life in another country. Antonio Bandres took a seventeen-hour flight from his home country in Spain to Potosi, Wisconsin. It was a pure chance that Antonio ended up in the small town of Potosi. Antonio was able to decide whether he wanted to come to the US or Canada. Antonio picked the US, where he was chosen to attend Potosi High School.
Antonio is from Málaga Spain, a city with over 500,000 people. Málaga is known for its beauty, hotels, and resorts in Southern Spain along the Costa Del Sol. Antonio explained, “I have an ocean near my home as well as many shops.” In Málaga, the diet is mainly the Mediterranean diet and after lunch, they have siestas, or an afternoon rest. “The food is very different,” Antonio stated.
Antonio has one sister who went to Canada for an exchange year. In Spain, he participated in basketball. “I like to hang out with friends and shoot hoops,” Antonio added. Antonio’s mother is the owner of a supermarket, and his father is a businessman.
Antonio started speaking English at the age of six, solely because he attended a bilingual school in Spain. He could speak English very well and was inspired by his sister to be an exchange student after her exchange year in Canada. Antonio stated, “My favorite part of being in America is the new friends that I have created.” Antonio is currently playing football, but he hopes also to play basketball while he's in America.
Antonio applied for the exchange program in February 2024. He went through Adventures Abroad, an exchange organization. It was a long process that consisted of English tests, lots of paperwork, classes, and paying a fee. Antonio found this process rather easy and was very excited when he got accepted.
At the end of the school year, all the exchange students go back to their home countries with the memories they hold with them from their exchange year. Antonio plans on attending college and hopes to eventually come back to the US to visit. During his time here we have a great opportunity to get to know Antonio and expand our knowledge of other cultures.