The students and staff of Camden High School have warmly welcomed Elsa Gomez who comes to us as an exchange student from Les, Spain, a village in the valley of the Pyrenees mountains. Elsa wanted to travel, learn about other cultures, and increase her English language skills. She was selected by a family in the Camden Community who liked her profile. The later included a letter and video about her. Her host family consists of a mother, a father, a nine-year old boy, two cats and a dog. She has no pets or siblings at home in Les.
Miss Gomez’s village of 1,000 people is one of many villages in the valley close to the French border. The largest village has about 5,000 people. Thus, in order to go to a large shopping area or supermarket, or to receive her family’s medical services, they have to travel 4 1/2 hours to Barcelona. She lives near the biggest ski slope in Spain. Winter sports also include ice skating three days a week. Road biking or cycling on a team or club is a hobby.
Elsa and her host mother recently went shopping for fabric from which they designed and sewed a Halloween costume she wore here in Minneapolis as “The Corpse Bride” for Halloween. Were she to be in her Spanish village for this holiday she would serve on what is called the Commission of Parties, a group of young people, of teens, who act as “servants” says Elsa. Their role is to set up parties, sell tickets for adult drinking, and wait on people. Last year three of her peers and Elsa had to make a haunted house which she found very difficult and tiring.
June 23, the longest day of the year, or Summer Solstice, is a favorite holiday in the villages of the Pyrenees. A tree from the mountains is burned and danced around for popular parties called “San Joan.”
Elsa loves to read, especially thrillers, science fiction, and romances. Her music interests are of many kinds with vocals preferred in Spanish. Bad Gyal from Spain is her favorite singer; the image of a “bad gyal” embodies strength, independence and a fierce attitude.
Elsa’s favorite food back home is “seafood magret” and jamon serrano made with pork. Here in the U.S., her favorite is Thai cooking, and especially, cinnamon rolls which she buys on Sundays at Camden’s Dancing Bear Chocolate, a bakery at 4367 North Thomas Avenue.
Differences of school in Les, Spain and Camden High are that in her home school students don’t have to change classes; teachers go from class to class except for labs. Boys compete only in soccer and skiing. Girls have dance activity and soccer which is not so much a public sport.
Elsa has been welcomed by students to cheerleading practice here and is thinking of trying out for the squad. Impressions of her host school, Camden High, are summarized in the statement of Elsa Gomez, “Students are so nice and there’s so much diversity here.”
As for her future, Miss Gomez wants to graduate from high school, preferably from one in the United States and to travel some more. She is addressing possibilities which may be restricted by Visa restrictions.