Moving to a new city is difficult; moving to a new state is even harder, but moving to a different country to stay with people you have never met before in your life would be unfathomable for most people. However, this is a decision Marius Romain says every foreign exchange student makes. Now, three months after moving to Lodi, Marius reflects on his experience in a foreign country, the difference between American and Belgian schools, and what he has learned moving across the globe.

Hailing from Belgium, a western European country more than seven hundred miles away, Marius experienced a bit of culture shock when he first moved to the United States. According to Marius, “The first few differences I noticed were how spread out all of the cities and towns are and that taxes aren’t included in the original price when you buy something.”

Additionally, Marius noted some differences between schools in Belgium and schools in the United States, stating, “One difference is that sports in Belgium are not run by the school but by individual clubs.”

However, Marius did note some surprising similarities between the two countries, noting that “the people of both countries are more similar than different, and while Americans may be a bit louder, they are equally passionate.”

Outside of the classroom, Marius has had time to soak up the culture and experience some authentically American and Wisconsin experiences, such as participating in school sports. Marius stated of these experiences, “I have made many good memories with my soccer teammates and coaches.”

At the end of the day, Marius is happy with the decision to move to the US and the transition to high school life, saying, “Overall, it has been a good experience, and I don’t regret coming.”