By Lauren Cullen
Managing Editor

Many foreigners dream of coming to America, the land of opportunity. For senior Silje Lein, that dream is coming true this year. Lein is an exchange student from Norway for the 2013-2014 school year.

Lein said she has always wanted to come to America, but she started to seriously consider the exchange program in eighth grade. Lein is enjoying her time so far, and her initial impression of Westford is that people are much nicer here than in her home country.

“People are very polite here. They say ‘thank you’ a lot and hold doors. Norwegians are rude that way,” she said.

Although she misses her family back in Norway, Lein said she has a very good relationship with her host family, the Weisses.

“They are so nice,” she said. “I love them. It was kind of awkward at first, but then it was okay.”

Back in Norway, Lein is involved in her school’s handball and soccer teams. Soon after arriving in Westford, she tried out for the soccer team and made varsity. There are not any differences between the sport of  soccer here and in Norway, however, the amount of practice is much different.

“It’s intense here. At home, I practiced twice a week for one and a half hours. Here it’s every single day for two and a half hours, which is a big change, ” she said.

Along with soccer, Lein takes part in the International Club and the French Club at Westford Academy. She said she is looking forward to being a part of both organizations.

Lein is also finding an increase in homework at WA compared to her school in Norway.

“I’d say the teachers are stricter about homework here than in Norway. We don’t have as much homework there, and we don’t get it every day,” she said.

Other differences Lein notices between her school in Norway and Westford Academy include how there is no bell system at her school in Norway. The students are allowed to leave if the lesson is finished, and the schedule during the week is different.

“We start a lot later over there,” said Lein. “Three days out of the week we start at 8:30 a.m., one day at 9 a.m., and one day at 10 a.m.”

In Norway, Lein said there are about 150 kids in each graduating class, but she only sees the same group of people during the school day. She has the same classmates in every class, which she finds to be another big difference compared to WA.

The language difference has not been a huge issue so far. Lein said she does not struggle in class to understand what her teachers are saying, but if she is having trouble, her teachers are helpful. She said her peers are being helpful to her as well.

“I’m kind of shy, but people talk to me. That’s nice,” she said.

Lein said if there was one thing she could change about her time in Westford, it would be to be able to bring herself places. She is not allowed to drive while on this exchange program, and even though she is unable to get her license in Norway until she is 18, she still has a bike to take her everywhere at home.

Overall, she said is enjoying her time so far at WA and is looking forward to the rest of the year, which includes her graduating from WA with an honorary diploma.

“It’s nice here, the people are nice, and I really  like it,” she said.