BY MORGAN ANDERSON, Junior
BLYTHEWOOD -- Herman Amundsgard is a Norwegian foreign exchange student living in Columbia, S.C for a whole year and attending Blythewood High School while he does it.
“I knew I was going to America, in almost every exchange program you can choose which country you want to travel to, but not where in the country. When I found out I was going to South Carolina I did not know where it was,” Amundsgard said on the topic of his first thoughts about coming to America.
However, before coming to America he was a little apprehensive. “The most difficult thing was to leave my grandma. She is 88 years old and she is sick. But she was so happy and excited for me to go on an adventure like this. When I got here I decided to start all over and try to forget about home, so I don’t miss my family and friends yet,” Amundsgard said.
However, Amundsgard is great at making friends and fitting in. “Herman has a few differences compared to most of my American friends. But overall, his ways of socializing are quite similar to anyone else's that I am friends with. One of the only differences is that he is less stereotypical than most Americans and he takes current worldwide events more seriously than many Americans do and should,” Amundsgard friend, Tyler Dixon said.
When he first arrived on the Blythewood High School campus, Amundsgard immediately noticed differences in our two cultures. “Blythewood High is very different from home in Norway! It’s an almost brand new school with nearly 1500 students more than I’m used to. But I do like it so far,” Amundsgard said.
“It's a really cool experience, having a friend from a different country. It's very interesting to learn about Herman's home country and how much different it is living there than here in the United States. It's also pretty interesting to see how people from other countries view Americans,” Dixon said.
Amundsgard enjoys Blythewood but not the way students act. “Many of the students are very obnoxious and rude to their teachers, and have a lack of discipline in and out of class,” he said.
Although he does not enjoy how students act in class, his favorite thing so far about America is “Americans politeness and willingness to help.”
In Norway, standardized tests do not exist. “In Norway you get graded on your behavior. Our grade system goes from 1-6, where 6 is the best. We don’t get served school lunch, but we can leave the school area during our 1-hour lunch break. [Also,] you are responsible for getting your own computer,” Amundsgard said.
Amundsgard also noticed a difference in the dress attire from Norwegian students to Americans. “In Norway the dress code is very formal; Shirts are v-neck/round-neck, sweaters, trousers or skinny jeans, polos/piques and brogues/ankle boots/docksides/moccasins are all popular. And of course it’s all slim-fit.”
When asked about popular slang terms he has noticed so far in America, Amundsgard said, “‘Y’all’ is the first thing that pops into my head. We learn British English where we come from so I had never heard it.”
According to Amundsgard’s friend, Tyler Dixon, America and Norway are somewhat similar. “From what Herman has taught me about Norway, it is quite similar to the United States, except for the colder weather,” Dixon stated.
“One of my favorite things to do is ask Herman how to say different things in Norwegian and to learn more about the language,” Dixon said.
When he is not in school, Amundsgard said, “I love watching and playing sports, so that is [what affects] most of my free time. [Also] I love to travel. Especially in Europe. I have been to most of the big capitals in Europe like London, Paris, Brussels, Stockholm, and Copenhagen etc… I have also seen some of the smaller cities in Europe too. And I’ve been to Thailand.”
