Rotary Scholar Julia Öhrn Interviewed About Her Year at Ashley Hall by Alyssa Yang

Rotary Scholar Julia Öhrn at Ashley Hall Prom

Interview with Julia Öhrn

by Alyssa Yang

In the Fall of 2013, Julia Öhrn, a Swedish exchange student, came to Ashley Hall for a year of study through the Rotary Scholar Program. Despite being five thousand miles away from home, she firmly believes America is her second home and enjoys the opportunity for study abroad at Ashley Hall. Recently, Alyssa Yang, student reporter, sat down with Julia to learn about her experience abroad.

Hi, Julia! How do you describe yourself?

I was born about 20 miles away from Stockholm (capital) in a suburb city called Täby. There are four people in my family, including me. My parents always support me and encourage me in my life. I have an older brother, who is now on his trip to Thailand. I have a Bichon Havanese puppy.

Julia Öhrn and friends dressed for prom

My friends would describe me as a positive, happy and brave girl. I am almost always happy and a truthful friend as well.  I might seem reserved and quiet, but if you get to know me, I am an out-going and optimistic person. I love to laugh as well. In my spare time, I like to workout to keep healthy. I also have some hobbies, such as dancing, Zumba. This year, I joined the Ashley Hall cross country team and track team, and through working with different team members, I have learned a lot from teamwork spirit. I love adventure travel because I can get inspired by different cultures and discover new worlds. As Mark Twain once wrote, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Actually, this is not the first time that I have been to America. I traveled to America when I was in elementary school.  Since then, I have hoped to come back and visit America again. Now I am living my dream! I am very glad that I have the chance to study here.

What are some current events facing your country today?

Julia Öhrn with family and friends celebrating Midsommar in Sweden

One of the most important holidays that we celebrate every year is Midsommar (Midsummer’s Day), which takes place on Friday between June 19 and June 26. During Midsummer, whole families gather to celebrate this tradition in a summer house in countryside. 

Another big event is the Swedish Parliament election. The next European parliamentary election in Sweden will be held on May 25th in 2014. The election is within a multi-party system. 

If you had one word to describe Ashley Hall, what would it be? Why?

Powerful. I think Ashley Hall strongly promotes growth in courage, independence, and leadership of young women and also makes a good balance between students’ lives in and out of school.

Swedish Crayfish

If you could tell one thing about your culture, what would it be?

Lagom. It is a Swedish word meaning “not too much and not too little” and “just the perfect amount of everything in life.” It is also a word to describe Swedish people’s lifestyles. Overall, people are very friendly in Sweden and it is a peaceful country.

Swedish Strawberry Cake

What are the most difficult challenges or obstacles that you have ever faced in America? How did you overcome these challenges or obstacles?

Well, I would say probably that being alone and away from family and friends is the most difficult thing. At first, it was hard for me to speak English all day. As the time went by, I have improved on my spoken English a lot. I also had problems learning U.S. history and English, but I tried to catch up on my grades in those classes. My host families have always encouraged me and helped me with my English.

How would you describe your homestay experience?

Julia Öhrn skiing in Utah

I have stayed with three different families, and this has made me learn the different family customs These experiences have fostered my adaptability and helped me become more mature. My host families always

 take me to visit other places in America, such as, New York and Utah. They also have always been careful to give me my privacy, and I can always find quiet when I am needed. At last, I wish them all of the best, and cannot thank them enough for making me feel so at home.

What have you learned about yourself in the past year at Ashley Hall?

I have learned how to be an independent and strong young woman. I have learned to give everyone second chance, because first impression can be misleading sometimes. More important, everyone has her/his own advantages. I used to take the thing for granted, but now I realize that I should appreciate every little things in life and people who around me.

What are some most memorable events since you have been here?

It has been a year full of memories! The Thanksgiving holiday was special for me because it was a celebration that we don’t have in Sweden. It was a celebration full of love and appreciation.

Do you have any advice for the other new exchange students who might come next year?

Try to enrich your life as much as you can in this year! I would encourage the other exchange students to really be a part of Ashley Hall, and that’s the thing I would have changed if I could. Don’t be embarrassed to make mistakes and to make more friends here. You should always ASK if you have questions about anything and always be grateful to your host families. If you fall behind in a class, you can always ask teachers for extra help, and they would love to help you with that!

Would you come back to America?

Absolutely!!! I love Charleston, and I think it is a beautiful city. I also would like to travel the whole country.

Julia Öhrn in front of the Ashley Hall Shell House

Introducing the New International Programs Director: Jeff Dionne!

Student reporter, Abby Turner, interviewed the new International Programs Director, Jeff Dionne, to get the inside scoop on this new addition to the faculty and staff of Ashley Hall.

Mr. Dionne on the streets of Tokyo.  Photo by: Dionne

So to start off, where in the country/world have you lived?

I was born in Connecticut and moved to Maine (three different towns in Maine).  Then I moved to several towns in Massachusetts, and Rhode Island as well.  Until the age of twenty nine, I lived in four different states in New England.  And then, I went to Japan in the year 2000 for thirteen years. 

You must speak Japanese well then. How long did it take you to learn to speak it fluently?

When I went to Japan I didn’t know how to speak it at all.  But I was completely open to learning as much as I could about the language, the people and the culture.  As my proficiency grew, of course my understanding of the culture and people grew so much and I loved it more and more.  I'm probably "business-level proficient" fluent now. True fluency in reading and writing is the final frontier of which I am still a student.

What made you decide to live in Japan?

Teaching English to students in Japan. Photo by: Dionne

I was open to learning more about different cultures and ideas, and when I met my wife in Boston, who is a Japanese person, I began learning more about Japan.  I was inspired by her way of seeing the world.  Then I thought that I'd go live there for just one year, which obviously didn't go according to plan.  In Massachusetts I was a public school teacher, so I had the teaching experience and a Master's degree which helped me find a great private school to work for right in the heart of downtown Tokyo.  The move to Japan was everything I'd hoped for and more - Japan is a fantastic place to be and it will always be a big part of my life.  I also traveled through parts of Asia and loved it.

Do you ever feel yourself thinking in Japanese?

Yes, but that’s happening less and less since I’ve moved back.  But I certainly have, after living in Japan for thirteen years.  And there are many times when I know the perfect expression or word in Japanese for something, but I can't come up with the right English.  There are a lot of culturally-specific words and terms.  I still communicate with my Japanese friends and in-laws, which of course makes me think in Japanese.

Since Japanese has characters different than our alphabet, do you have to learn to speak it separately from learning to read it?

That’s one of the main challenges.  If you’re speaking a Romanized language like English or French, it's easy to look up words you don't know because it's all alphabet-based.  Whenever you want to use a language with characters such as Arabic, Korean, Chinese, or Japanese there’s a big obstacle because if you have to look up a word in the dictionary that doesn’t have the Romanized version of the word, then how do you plan to find it?  You wouldn’t even know where to start. 

Cherry blossoms in spring.  Photo by: Naoko Dionne

Because it doesn’t characterize the word by its first letter.  How do they set up their dictionaries in Japan?

Well it goes by the first phonetic part of the specific word (however, a certain sound may be represented several different characters).  They do use a certain alphabetical order, but it goes by sounds rather than an actual alphabet.  There are first five vowel sounds, then the ‘k’ sounds, then the ‘t’ sounds, but each consonant is followed by a vowel sound in the same order. 

And then we have computers. So if you have a Germanic language, then you can always just easily type in the letter, but with a character, how would you look it up? 

When I first moved to Japan it just seemed impossible.  And over time, of course, it happens but through a lot of trial and error.  And as I said, I'm still a student.  I wasn't exactly young when I went over there so my old brain was challenged every day.

What made you decide to be an International Programs Director?

I had spent so much time in Japan and visited other parts of Asia, and I felt ready to come back to America.  You know, the countless experiences all over Asia have taught me so much.  I believe that there are such great benefits to learn about other cultures, their wisdom.  It widens our minds, increases our capacity of compassion and understanding of ourselves and others.  The catch phrase these days is 'global empathy' - it's an ability you can cultivate that will help you immensely in life.  It's especially relevant today, now that technology connects everyone so easily.  So I felt like I had a lot to offer and grow personally as an educator.  This position at Ashley Hall here fit me so well - I remember reading the job description and it felt perfect.  I'm so happy to be spending time with Chinese students now - they are wonderful and China is just so fascinating, so full of ancient wisdom.  And I loved Ashley Hall from the onset. All of those things made this job a great fit for me and I'm so happy and fortunate to be here!  

Cherry blossom viewing. Jeff Dionne and daughter Misa. Photo by: Dionne

Swiss Horizons: An Interview with Ashley Hall Rotary Scholar Lizzie Russler by: Suzie Prentice

Ashley Hall student and Rotary Youth Scholar, Lizzie Russler, poses with the Matterhorn. Photo by: Lizzie Russler

           Ashley Hall, throughout its history, has continuously expanded its international awareness, from hosting students from around the world, to recently sending its own students abroad. Last year Lizzie Russler, an Ashley Hall student, applied to the Rotary Youth Program and has since been living in Switzerland through this program. Recently, I was able to interview Lizzie about her journey. She explained to me the cultural differences she has discovered.

            Although Lizzie now loves Switzerland and the people there, she had difficulties in the beginning. The language barrier was certainly one. She stated that in the beginning the language was so exhausting that after school, “I would go home and go to bed.” She would sometimes even go to her room to blog, but now she says she has no time to blog, only to quickly write in her journal. She has “too much life to write.” 
          Lizzie is living in a part of Switzerland that speaks Swiss German, a dialect of High German, or regular German. But now, after only five months of living abroad, she is fluent in High German and continues to progress every day. According to her advice, the best way to learn a new language is to watch television and listen to music from the country. School has helped her learn the language, too; however, there are some differences between Swiss and American education. After middle school kids can work if desired. She was shocked upon seeing a 15 year old helping her at the bank. In school there are more tests than in America but less homework and strangely no essays so far. Lizzie explained to me that she still must do her Ashley Hall work. Even though she has a lot of work, she says she is thankful to her teachers who have let her go at her own pace since this year “is about me learning German and fitting a lifetime into a year.”

            The Rotary Youth Program is another thing she is grateful for in her life. Lizzie describes it as, “an amazing program, that works for the betterment of others, and society.” Rotary helps people around the world connect, allowing students to explore the world through this once and a lifetime opportunity and be involved in traditions tourists are never able to experience. The opportunity for Lizzie has entailed attending a Swiss school, living with a Swiss family, and learning the language. When asked what her favorite part was so far she laughed and said, “I hate that question! It’s the hardest! I could give you so many examples.” One of the examples she told me about was how she had a weekend in the mountains where she was went into a glacier ice palace. Upon examining the walls, she discovered plastic covering the ice and soon realized that this was because the glacier is melting. She realized how lucky she was to have seen this vanishing sight. Lizzie kept wondering why more people don’t do take these kind of opportunities to travel. This is another life lesson she has learned--to always say “yes” to new opportunities. She doesn’t want to miss anything in her time abroad. Many of her other Rotary friends have gotten homesick and hesitate, but, she says, “You make your own fun. You can make it better.” She encourages people to adapt to life.

In addition to all these life skills, Lizzie has explored much of Europe. Rotary has given her a train pass that allows her to get 40 dollar train rides for free, and therefore she has been able to visit other European countries such as Italy, Venice, Sweden and soon France. Switzerland is in the middle of so many different cultures and languages, “It is such a great location,” she says. “It’s so cool.” Truly the lesson she has learned is “the best education comes from outside.” This is one eye opening journey.

Lizzie Russler in Switzerland. Photo by: Lizzie Russler

            Switzerland, as a country, she loves immensely. It is such a beautiful country, it’s like, “walking through a postcard.” The people she explains as stylish, even the boys go shopping and walk out carrying shopping bags. Another difference is that in Switzerland, she describes, sports only meet once or twice a week. She also describes the people there seeming more closed, “but once they are your friend,” she states, “you know they are your friend for life. They don’t judge you.” Swiss people in general are “loyal, very smart, creative, and a lot less wasteful.” Also a commonality in Swiss people is that they all seem to be very time conscious and stressed about being late. Lizzie also warned against stereo-typing, since some of her friends there imagined all Americans to be fat. They were surprised when she didn’t like McDonalds. People must realize that not everyone from a country is the same. 

            Lizzie Russler also loves the food that the Swiss eat. “There are so many types of bread here,” she told me. When she first arrived she was shocked by how much bread and butter they ate. While she ate an apple at break, they ate bread. Dairy products are huge in Switzerland as well. She has seen many well taken care of dairy cows there, as opposed to the meat ones that seem to be more commonly found in America. In addition, she has learned that these cows produce milk for chocolate, and, in fact, milk chocolate was invented in Switzerland. Switzerland is still home to many chocolate companies. Lizzie describes the chocolate as being delicious and plentiful in Switzerland. She still wonders how she, “will ever be able to finish off the large box of it in [her] room.”

            After these five months Lizzie says she “could literally talk forever about [Swizerland].” She is inspired to help with Rotary in any way possible, even hoping to host a student someday. Lizzie told me she has become more passionate about the world and traveling. Because of this experience, she knows more about what she wants to do when she is older. Lizzie wants to travel more and be involved with the world and the people in it. Even though she has already learned so much more about the world, Lizzie plans to learn more languages, and wants to further broaden her horizons. Lizzie says, “I am more mature, open-minded, and tolerant. I’ve learned how to be more independent, more alone. I don’t care what other people think. Once I stopped caring what others think, it’s a whole different freedom.”

            Having spoken to Lizzie about her experiences, it was obvious that she was very happy and comfortable with herself. Lizzie has stepped outside her comfort zone and challenged herself. In doing so, she has not only broadened her own knowledge and understanding, but also she is helping to break down international barriers. There is something for everyone to learn through Lizzie’s experiences and their own international experiences someday!

Special thanks to Lizzie Russler to have taken time out of her Swiss life.