This summer, students from all around the world said bittersweet goodbyes to their families, hopped on planes, and flew to America to embark on their new school year at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School. This year, there are 11 foreign upperclassmen, hailing from Spain, Czech Republic, Russia, Switzerland, and China.

11th and 12th grade are crucial in preparation for college, yet these students from abroad still mustered up the courage to attend a new school in an entirely new country. The predominant reason for these students coming to Saint Stephen’s was to advance their English skills.

Junior Khashayar Eshaghi, who came from Iran because he heard Saint Stephen’s is one of the top schools in Manatee County, said, “I expect to improve my English and [so far] I have progressed. I also want to get good grades at the end of the year.”

Similarly, Junior Laura Rodriguez from Spain also said she “expects to end the year with very good English.”

Junior Carrie Chen, from China, lived in Canada and then moved to California, where she stayed for three years until she moved to Bradenton this year.

“I decided to come to this school because it can support me to be academically successful, as well as in golf. My friend, Jack Cen, also graduated from here and we’re really good family friends,” Chen said.

Junior Adam Vilimovsky, from the Czech Republic, was also advised to come to Saint Stephen’s by his two friends who attended the school and said “it was great.” Swiss Junior Baptiste Carbonnier’s received similar reactions from his cousin.

Apart from the difficulties that these foreign students face, Junior Yi Liu from China decided to make best of the situation by engaging in her interests, such as “reading more feminist books and starting a feminist club” at school.

Laura Rodriguez noted the difference in the number of classes at Saint Stephen’s as compared to her school in Barcelona, saying, “We only have six subjects here, [whereas] in Spain we have like 12.” She also noted that the school hours are the same in both countries: from eight in the morning to three in the afternoon.

Trying to get past the language barrier and actually getting used to “talking in English in school” was a difficult aspect for Eshaghi. For Vilimovsky, meeting “new people and going to new classes” was challenging.

When asked what they miss most, a majority of the foreign students answered their old friends that they left back home.

For Chen it was a slightly different situation. Since she was moving around so often, it was hard for her to actually have strong close bonds with friends.

Rodriguez said she misses being known in the school. “I [also] miss knowing where everything [is] and what’s the proper way to do the things, like making sure I’m in dress code or remembering when assembly, chapel or advisory are,” she said.

These students from overseas have taken on the responsibility of acclimating to a new school in a brand new environment, with goals for the new year.

“My expectations are to try my best at everything, make some friends and have fun,” Chen said.

Upperclassmen from overseas made a leap that will certainly  stimulate them academically in the hospitable environment at Saint Stephen’s.

“The things that have helped me adapt to the new school are some the friends and good teachers, like Mrs. Archibald, my advisor, and Dr. Anthou,” Rodriguez said.

Other Upperclassmen to get to know:

11th grade:

Yuzhuo Cao
Ildar Karimov
Tyler Vo
Lingeng Zhang
Jindriska Krejci

12th grade:

Denis Gomonov