For a handful of foreign exchange students, Imperial has been quite the change from their previous hometowns.

One of those students is Elise Lier, who is from Oslo, Norway.

Lier said that other family members previously had positive experiences with the program. 

Lier said, “Well I had two cousins who went in exchange some years ago and they were really positive and great experiences so I wanted to try it myself.” 

And so far it seems she is enjoying her stay here.

Lier said, “I really like it. Everyone is so nice to me, and the teachers are really good. I like all of my classes, and it’s really fun to go to an American high school.” 

Lier has been able to take in some of the professional sport entertainment in St. Louis.

“I went to a baseball game in St. Louis. It was really exciting. Actually, I’m going to an ice hockey game on Friday,” Lier said.

Lier has also been to quite a few restaurants wanting to know what the typical American experience is, and wanting to try some American food. Two of her favorite American restaurants so far are Raising Cane’s and Chick-fil-A.

Lier talked about how the schools and her school in Norway were different from the ones in America.

Lier said, “We go for ten years at elementary school and then we have three years at high school, so we don’t have the system with sophomores, freshmen, seniors. Everything is so much bigger (here) too.”

Even the population is a large difference. While America has a population of 329 million, Norway has just over five million people. 

Lastly, Lier spoke about what she misses back home.

Lier said, “(I miss) my family. Well of course everything is different here, like the food and everything…I know it’s for only a year so I think it will be more sad to leave here because I know I won’t be back again but I know that I’m going back to Norway.”