This week is International Education Week. It is a celebration of the benefits of international education and exchange, encouraging both American students to study abroad and attracting international students to study in the United States.

Every year, Dinuba High School hosts exchange students from all around the world to study. This year, DHS is honored to have five exchange students from five different countries. An exchange year is an amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to boost their English language skills by continually working with native Americans. The exchange program is an opportunity for high school students. After passing multiple tests and interviews, they are selected to study at an American high school for an entire academic year.  DHS has Spogmai Raziq, Lola Efl, Saba Kakubava, Pembe Amadou, and Kathrine Kata. These fantastic young people have come thousands of miles away from their loved ones and left their comfort zones to experience a completely new cultural environment and give back to the community in the best way possible. 

Gallery • 5 Photos

Spogmai Raziq, Pakistan

Here is a little information about each student:

SPOGMAI RAZIQ

My name is Spogmai Raziq, and I am an exchange student from Pakistan.  After passing through multiple challenging and competitive tests and interviews, I am extremely thankful to Allah that I am here. For me, this is an entirely different experience, and like every student, I was culturally shocked when I first got here. To be an exchange student, you should have a broad perspective and see the world through a different lens, and I guess this is what exchange means. My humble service towards the Dinuba community has led me to earn the title of “THE STUDENT OF THE MONTH” for my program and the Worldlink organization. I am giving cultural presentations about Pakistan to clear the stereotypes that people have about Pakistan.  I have tried different Mexican dishes, and my favourite so far is Tacos. Once I get back home, I will miss tacos a lot! I have maintained a strong academic record since I’ve been here, with a 4.0 GPA. I feel at home with my host family. I could not have asked for more. 

LOLA EFL

Lola Efl is from Uzbekistan, which is a Central Asian nation and a former Soviet republic.  For Lola, exchange is not only an opportunity for growth but a chance to lead and do her best. She is a very active girl, and I met her at the airport in Washington. From that point, we got to know each other, and our friendship has grown stronger. She is living with a wonderful Mexican American family and is very proud of herself. Her favorite food so far is also tacos and all kinds of Mexican food. She likes making her traditional dishes for her family. She is adjusting right into the environment and is looking forward to becoming more successful during her exchange year. She has joined the cross country team, and is one of the fastest runners. 

SABA KAKUBAVA

Saba Kakubava is from Georgia, a country located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Saba is an amazing young man! After a continued struggle and high competition in Georgia for the program, he is proud of himself for achieving this position. This is more than just an accomplishment for him as he aims to make a positive impact on his host community. He has also joined the cross-country team and is the fastest runner among all of his teammates. We do volunteering together and aim to contribute to American society in the best way possible. His favourite food so far is Burritos, and he enjoys trying multiple kinds of food. 

PEMBE AMADOU

Pembe Amadou is from the Republic of Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa. He began his exchange year with great enthusiasm and joy. Pembe joined the DHS basketball team right away. He is an extrovert and loves making long-lasting friendships. He has kicked off his exchange year by completing more than 30 hours of volunteering in the first and second months of his arrival in the USA.  He is sharp-minded and a problem solver. He maintains a 4.0 GPA. His favourite class is guitar, and he loves playing different kinds of musical instruments. Like the rest of us, his favourite American food so far is Tacos. 

KATRINE KATA

Katrine Kata is from Latvia, a country on the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Estonia. Katrine loves embracing new changes and cultures. Her enthusiastic and curious nature led her to apply for this FLEX program, and she is a proud leader and representative of her country. She has completed more than 50 hours of volunteering and is always available for help whenever someone approaches her. She is an excellent cultural ambassador who helps people see Latvia through a different lens. She has joined cross-country and has made people proud of her and her performance.  She is a lovely young lady, and her favorite American food so far is pasta.