Semester in Review: Romanian Exchange, October 2016

Romanian students teach SVGS students a traditional Romanian dance!

Ten Romanian students and a teacher came to visit the second week in October. They began in New York City and Wasington D.C. DC and toured sites like the Empire State Builidng, Staten Island and Air and Space Museum. SVGS hosts meet our guest in Wasington D.C. and headed to the outlet malls . SVGS hosts and their Romanian guests toured in the valley including downtown Staunton, the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace, Baja Bean, Luray caverns, New Market battlefield, and Monticello. An SVGS alum,former exchange host and first year staundet at UVA, Kerith Fern lead the group on a tour of the UVA grounds. We are grateful to Mihai Surdu. Romanian administrator for organizing the groups travel to the United States and to Daniel Petriceneau, Romanian teachers who accompanied these students. We are grateful for our Romanian guest students who taught us many new things and treasure getting to know them all!

The host families did a wonderful job and we really appreciate their sharing of the American culture. Host student students and their families were:

		SVGS Host		Romanian Guest
11	WMHS	Ryan	Aud	Vlad Holban
11	WMHS	Emily	Baraclough	Ana Deak
11	WMHS	Jenna	Benzing	Miruna Cretu
11	WMHS	Margot	Flanders	Ileana Neagoe
11	WMHS	Kristen	Holman	Andreea Veronia Petrascu
12	SDHS	Mariah	Hoy	Eva Leah Cabiria Morganstern
12	BGHS	Madison	Kauffman	Irina (Didi) Tibichi
12	SDHS	Caley	Keenan	Ioana Buzelan
12	FDHS	Hannah	Mason	Victor-Razvan
12	WMHS	Caitlin	Snook	Ion-Mihai Apahidean

We are very grateful to our host families for opening up their homes to our Romanian guest students enabling them to experience American culture, values and life. Our host students and their Romanian guests are future leaders. What these young people learn at this formative age is life-changing. What they accomplish after this cultural experience strengthens their communities and teaches others understanding and appreciation of differences.