From the Three Pyramids to Four Corners: International Exchange at Blair

Emily May

When Ahmed Kassab, 15, arrived at Blair High School, he wondered if everyone would be loaded with guns and money, if everyone would be like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator. He soon realized that not all Americans are gun-toting millionaires like on television in his home country, Egypt.

Mutti Anggitta, Ahmed Kassab, Ahmed Abdelkereem, Mahid Macadato, local PAX program coordinator Carol A. Radomski, and Carla Dela Cruz.

Kassab is one of three foreign exchange students at Blair sponsored through the Program for Academic Exchange (PAX), funded and administered by the US State Department. PAX distributes around 600 to 800 exchange students in the US annually, and is just one of dozens of national non-profit organizations dedicated to the development of cross-cultural appreciation through international education.

There are five PAX students in Montgomery County: three at Blair, one at Bethesda-Chevy Chase, and one at Poolesville High School. Each student went through a vigorous selection process to be chosen for the program. All are anxious to take advantage of the opportunities generated through international exchange. "We came here to exchange cultures -- to teach Americans about our culture and to learn about the culture of America," says Kassab.

During their first few weeks at Blair, the students have already noticed numerous differences from their home countries. Mutti Anggitta, 17, a Blair junior and an Indonesian PAX student, was stunned by the astronomical food portions. Carla Delacruz, 15, a sophomore at Poolesville from the Philippines, agrees, and says that in her home country, she just ate rice three times a day. Anggitta was also surprised by the cleanliness of the city streets, while Kassab was more surprised by Blair's size. "It's hard to get from class to class because they are all so far apart," he says. "The school is so very big. It's hard to find your friends because everyone is spread around." He was taken aback at the lax dress code, saying, "In Egypt, you have to wear a uniform. Here, you can wear anything to school."

Just as the exchange students come here to learn about American culture, they want to dispel stereotypes of their own cultures. "Maybe you don't know everything about Egypt," Kassab says. "We've come to teach you and to show you that Egypt isn't ancient anymore," Anggitta says, "I want to share my culture. In Jakarta, there are a lot of differences from here and from what you think."

Learning about other cultures is an important facet of education. If we do not learn about other cultures or if we rely on stereotypes portrayed by the international media, we cannot learn how to cooperate with other nations. Kassab's perception that all Americans carried guns is just one example of how cultures can be misunderstood without direct contact between peoples. International exchange is a great way to foster connections that transcend barriers like language, religion, and politics. "We're cultural ambassadors," Kassab explains. "We're here to change and to exchange. I'm learning a lot here; it's a very good experience."