THE December 2025 Volunteering in the community for Thanksgiving By Mars Woodward Throughout the holiday season, many in New Albany go without food, water, clothing, and/or shelter. The unhoused population keeps growing every year due to to the housing crisis and lack of mental health support. “I think it’s[the growing…] a product of our government as a whole,” freshman Grady Riley said. “A product of the country and the economy, dependent of the geopolitical state of our county.” In this little corner of Floyd County, there lies clubs and a community determined to help out. One of these clubs is Anchor Club, a nonprofit organization connected to participating high schools around the US. Specifically the NAHS Anchor Club, helps around the school and the community, offering community service and support. “When I was six, I originally wanted to help people and this is still present now,” Riley said. “When I learned there was a whole thing dedicated to it, I was like… finally something I could do.” Anchor Club, for many, has become something that means deeper than just getting community service hours. Some of those hours include making decoration and thank you cards for teachers and visiting the Autumn Woods Nursing Home. “[Anchor Club members] can see the effects,” Riley said. “It’s truly makes you feel good because you can see how you are pos- New Albany High School itively impacting the community.” Recently, with the unhoused population on the rise, shelters are limited and some organizations are struggling to provide food and warm clothes. At least 4,860 people were experiencing homelessness in the Indiana balance of state on January 29, 2025 according to the Indiana Balance of State – that homeless people could use, but it’s still not enough. A lot of people who are homeless, especially here in our little corner of New Albany.” Over the past couple of years, Anchor Club has been teaming up with We The People, a non-profit organization fighting homelessness. Every Sunday at Bicknell Anchor Club members help serve Thanksgiving dinner to the community at Bicknell Park. Photo by Mars Woodward. HMIS Team. “Especially this time of year, you have Thanksgiving, then Christmas,” Riley said. “There’s a lot of community events going on that usually have services and free stuff Park, they make food for the unhoused population, give out clothes and toiletries. “It’ll help out a lot more because it’s guaranteed weekly they’ll get food,” Riley said. “I recommend everyone bring down The Blotter food every year or every Sunday.” Helping out during thanksgiving and the holiday season, Anchor Club is evolving its community service efforts by feeding the unhoused population every sunday at Bicknell. Specifically mention the date of the Thanksgiving meal and how many students were involved (dropped off food, helped in person, etc) Introduce Reese here. Is she an Anchor Club member? How long has she done it? “I feel like we could do more for the homeless community,” senior Reese Wells said. “I know we do food drives and clothing drives, but I feel like we could do more about it. It shows people what we actually do. When you see us out in the community feeding the homeless… we actually do stuff that impacts the community.” While impacting the community, Anchor Cub also impacts NAHS. Some of the students and other children from around the area are from low income families and don’t have money for food or shelter. “[Bicknell Thanksgiving] brings awareness that there are actually homeless students among us,” Wells said. “Not everyone has the privilege of having an actual Thanksgiving meal with their family. When we go [to Bicknell] and serve, you see little kids and kids that are our age makes you realize this is actually some of our peers and this is actually their life.” www.nahsblotter.com
Thankful thoughts Students share Thanksgiving traditions By Telia Laffin Every year on the fourth Thursday of November families around the country gather with family, eat, play games Sophomore Brooke Proffitt is 15 years old and has been participating in family traditions just as long. She says Thanksgiving is one of her favorite holidays because of the food, memories, and togetherness of the holiday. “My favorite part of Thanksgiving,” Proffitt said, “is that I get to see a lot of my family that I normally don’t get to. Oh, and the food? Don’t even get me started on the food. One of my top holidays just for that.” Senior Candace Meyer celebrates her Thanksgiving with family. Like many, this break is a time to be still apart from her busy life. “I love going to my grandparents’ house,” Meyer said, “to have the food and then we play a bunch of games.” For many students one of the most endearing parts of Thanksgiving is the nostalgia that comes with the holiday. So many of them have been born and raised with the same traditions on this holiday, and it has remained a constant throughout an inconsistent life. “[One of my earliest Thanksgiving memories is] at my grandparents house,” Meyer said, “They have a big pool table in the middle, so we’d be running around the basement all together with my cousins.” “My mom used to dress me up in the cutest little outfits,” Proffitt said. “I’ve always loved being pretty since I was little and I’d wear Thanksgiving turkey dresses and have fun hairstyles. It’s just so fun!” For many families, cousins highlight their year. These relationships with peers instead of just grandma and grandpa are so influential in teens’ lives. “Well, this one time I went to my dad’s side,” Proffitt said, “and I’m like literally the youngest New Albany High School person ever, I was like six or seven years old. I was sitting around a table with my cousins and they’re like ‘let’s play Cards Against Humanity.’ And it was the most scary game I’ve ever played. That card game should be outlawed.” “Me and my cousins are going to see a movie [the day before Thanksgiving],” Meyer said. “So I think I would like to carry that tradition forward every Thanksgiving, the day before Thanksgiving we go see a movie together.” While so many traditions in America have become interconnected, each family celebrates in their own way. “Instead of buying gifts individually, we draw names,” Meyer said. “Little cousins draw names, and then my aunts and my uncles draw names, and then we all get to open them on Christmas morning at their house.” “On my dad’s side,” Proffit said, “we always have, like this cherry pie. That’s literally the highlight of my year… When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of cherry pie just for that one.” Thanksgiving is a point in time to stop, be still, and reflect. This time off of school and work to spend at least a few hours with loved ones is a pause from our full and busy lives. “I am most thankful,” Meyer said, “that I have so many people that surround me and that I have my future planned out. I’m headed to college and I’m committed to play…I’m thankful for all that God has given me.” “[I am most thankful for] pumpkin lattes,” Proffitt said, “They’ve had my back when no one else has. I’m telling you, I wake up in the morning and instead of being depressed I’m like ‘You know what would comfort me right now?’ PPL, Pumpkin Pie Latte.” Even 400 years later Thanksgiving holds a meaningful spot in the lives of students and adults alike. A holiday that binds together family and friends one day a year to celebrate the blessing in their lives. The Blotter www.nahsblotter.com
Government funding especially important during holidays On October 1st, the US government shut down due to a budget impasse in Congress. This caused families who rely on government funding to struggle. Luckily, those funds are back up and running. Every year, most look forward to opening lots of gifts and sharing meals around the table during the holidays. While that may be some, the reality is that over 42 million people in the US have to hope that government funding every month will allow them to buy food and other necessities, according to Politico. Junior Noah Keel looked into this topic when it was occurring. He agrees on some aspects while disagreeing with others. “I think the importance of funding for families goes both ways. Some people take advantage of it and then cause people who truly need it to miss out, ” Keel said. According to BBC, the Trump Administration’s reason behind freezing family government funding was because they could only partially afford the funding. “When funding was frozen, I really think it helped remove people who were receiving way more than they should have been,” Keel said. Keel does find it important and wants it to continue from now on. “For kids during the holidays, it really does help keep the Christmas spirit alive because children of any class should have the opportunity to receive presents,” Keel said. Junior Addison Arroyo has a different reason for why she finds it so im- New Albany High School portant. “No matter the time of year, everyone has the right to have access to food and necessities,” Arroyo said. A family of four has to bring in more than $31,200 annually in order to even qualify for SNAP benefits, according to the Family and Social Services Administration “If minimum wage doesn’t cover the minimum cost to survive, it should be the government’s job to take care of that since they won’t take care of paying families enough,” Arroyo said. In the state of Indiana, the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. That means if someone works 40 hours a week, they only bring home $15k a year. The cost of living in Indiana varies, but on average it’s $50k yearly according to Sofi. Katie Higgs is a social worker here at NAHS. She feels very strongly about funding families who may be strug- gling right now. “Families depend on the government all year long, especially this time of year. It is important this time of year because it helps to provide families with basic needs, healthcare, housing, etc. It also helps to provide assistance with bills, so families do not go without heat or water in the cold months,’’ Higgs said. Staying warm is incredibly important as the temperatures start to decrease. This time of year, people are very prone to the flu and pneumonia. “When funding was frozen, we saw financial hardships for families become greater. We also saw job loss increase as well as panic over families losing benefits such as SNAP, which is how they feed their families each month,” Higgs said. In Indiana alone, over 600,000 people were at risk of losing their SNAP benefits when the government shut down, according to Wishtv. “People could help families in need by donating to local charities that support families in need,” Higgs said. “People could also donate things such as coats, clothes, hats, etc., to shelters that make sure to hand them out to the less fortunate population during the colder months. Volunteering is also a great way to support families in need. You can visit a local shelter and help prepare or serve meals, you can volunteer to wrap or deliver gifts to families, etc,” Higgs said. The Salvation Army holds a donation service from mid-November to December 16th called the Angel Tree. Around Christmas time, Walmart puts up a Christmas tree with kids’ Christmas lists hanging off of it. Anyone is able to pick up a tag and fulfil that child’s wishlist. According to Wholesome Wave Georgia By Molly Braun The Blotter www.nahsblotter.com
By Charlee Rogers As snow starts to fall and the air gets colder, living rooms begin to glow with Christmas lights and one tradition remains the same for many households: watching all the best Christmas movies. But which holiday movie tops all others? First, we need to look into what makes a Christmas movie, this way we can understand the criteria that students’ votes were influenced by. NPR did a podcast with Scott Detrow and Marc Rivers and they dove into this question. Rivers explained that technically any movie can be a Christmas movie however, there is a way to organize different holiday movies. There are three tiers: first are movies where Christmas is the subject or main focus; second, there’s Christmas movies where Christmas “instigates the plot” but at the end of the day if you set up the plot to be on just another Tuesday, it wouldn’t be that drastic of a change; the last tier is where Christmas is just a background theme, the plot doesn’t surround Christmas however there’s still elements of the holiday in the film. What Makes A Holiday Movie “The Best”? What really makes a holiday movie “the best”? It often boils down to a combination of different elements that sit with the audience year after year. One of these contributors is the nostalgia factor, family traditions and childhood memories are woven into the movie and give it a special meaning to you. A holiday movie classic must also have some genuine emotional resonance, it needs to stir up feelings of kindness or hope and togetherness; for example, the Grinch and the Whos down in Whoville in Jim Carrey’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a perfect instance of this. The film must also have originality in its plotline and characters that prevent it from becoming just another Christmas trope, this is a quality that is perfectly shown in the chaotic, but relatable, storyline for the Griswold family in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. New Albany High School A Season of Classics The last main factor would be the rewatchability and quotability in the movie. The film should have memorable scenes or lines that make the viewers want to watch it year after year, again and again. The Contenders How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) Jim Carrey’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a great contender because of its emotional resonance, it’s centered on the Grinch’s redemption arc and his heartwarming realization that “Christmas doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas means a little bit more.” There’s also a lot of nostalgia from taking the beloved Dr. Seuss classic and bringing it to life in an imaginative and cinematic way. T, these factors make the movie an amazing family movie. The comedy and memorable scenes contribute heavily to its rewatchability year after year. It validates the essential themes of kindness, acceptance, and togetherness that Christmas is all about. Love Actually (2003) Love Actually makes a great case through its originality, it weaves together almost a dozen intertwined storylines to explore the general theme of love during the holidays. Its amazing cast provides constant emotional resonance, it switches between being joyful to heartbreaking. The way the movie’s set up makes it highly rewatchable, it allows viewers to focus on different characters and plots with each watch. It’s the perfect modern Christmas rom-com that perfectly displays the complexity that is human connection. Polar Express (2004) The Polar Express really appeals to childhood nostalgia, and frames childhood belief as the center of the story and makes it a journey to prove that Santa is real and the magic of Christmas.The amazing animation contributes to the sense of wonder and it has a visual originality that was new for it’s time. At its core, it’s a very resonating story about faith and courage and finding the joy of Christmas within yourself. Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) As an extremely original movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas blends Halloween and Christmas perfectly and turns it into a unique and very visually distinctive holiday classic. The story follows Jack Skell i n g t o n ’s discovery of Christmas Town, is very emotionally resonant and follows the ideas of purpose, identity, and the joyfulness of holiday spirit. Its unique visual style and catchy soundtrack ensure several rewatches and being quoted frequently. It stands out by showing an alternative, but still heartwarming, take on the meaning of Christmas spirit. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) This movie earned its legendary status through its hilarious originality, the choice to go for a catastrophic Christmas rather than the traditional sentimental Christmas is one of the movie’s most unique points. It is arguably one of the most quotable Christmas movies as well, it has countless lines that have become common sayings around the house during the holidays. Na- The Blotter tional Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation really sits with the audience as we watch Clark Griswold struggle to achieve the “perfect” family Christmas, only to have it (literally) blow up in his face. The relatable comedic honesty makes it extremely rewatchable for anyone who can relate to the stress of the Christmas season. Home Alone (1990) Home Alone has created massive nostalgia for generations with it’s extremely original plotline: an eight year old left home alone to defend his house from criminals with clever and hilarious tricks and traps. The action and excellent performances paired with the very quotable dialogue ensure many rewatches every Christmas season. Despite the humour, the film has a strong emotional resonance because it focuses on the importance of family and being with the people we love during the holidays. It’s a perfect mix of action, laughter, and warmth during the season. The Santa Clause (1994) Tim Allen’s The Santa Clause shows a nice modern twist on the Santa mythology, giving it a great originality while still tapping into the childhood nostalgia and belief in Christmas magic. Tim Allen’s performance and transformation throughout the movie is a very relatable and funny journey that carries a strong emotional resonance throughout, specifically connecting to the theme of father and son relationships and how they bond during the holidays. The movie’s success has created a tradition that guarantees its spot on the Christmas movie marathons that so many families take part in. The Search for Santa Paws (2010) The Search for Santa Paws mostly appeals to nostalgia and while its storyline is simple its still incredibly heartwarming. It’s about finding Santa’s best furry friend in New York and the focus on the talking dogs and the North Pole creates a very uplifting and hopeful atmosphere and is original enough to make the younger audience fall in love. It serves a gentle reminder of the themes of kindness and innocence of the Christmas season. www.nahsblotter.com
Fall vs. Winter Students debate which is the best season By Janelle Calderon Alaska Curtsinger said. One thing many people who enjoy As the leaves whither away and snow begins to fall, some students winter point out is the end of daylight might find themselves looking back savings time. With the sun setting sooner and the nights on the fall season feeling longer, that so many love, many say they acwhile others can’t tually feel far more wait for the winter comfortable with to come. the days’ length and “I prefer fall pace, according to because it’s not BuzzFeed News. too cold and it’s Many say that this not too hot,” jucreates a cozy atmonior Elizabeth sphere despite the Smith said. Smith colder weather. says her favor“I like to spend ite fall activity is my winter inside visiting haunted binge watching houses with her shows, eating, friends. Junior Elizabeth Smith poses in the and sleeping a A c c o r d i n g Huber’s Orchard and Winery. lot,” Curtsinger to a survey of said. “My dream more than 2,000 people done by Morning Consult, 41% winter day is staying inside without any of Americans considered fall to be their worries and chilling out all day with a favorite season while only 11% voted nice heater.” When it comes down to deciding for winter. This can be for a variety of reasons, some being preferences in which time of the year you like more, holidays play a huge role. Though fashion, food, weather, and more. “I think fall has the best fashion be- sometimes, even your favorite holiday cause I like the fall colors,” Smith said. doesn’t fall within your favorite sea“I also like the way you can layer your son. “My favorite holiday in winter is outfits.” Although fall seems to be more pop- definitely Christmas because I love givular, there are still plenty of winter fans ing,” Smith said. “It just feels so much with their own opinions on which is the more special than any other holiday.” The Christmas season is often what better season. “I prefer winter over fall because we brings people to enjoy the winter. Acoccasionally get snow days,” freshman cording to YouGov, one third of Amer- New Albany High School ican’s favorite day of the year is Christmas day. Even highly anticipated holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving seem to compare. “I love the free money, food, and gifts I get every year,” Curtsinger said. For many, having a favorite season depends on more than the weather or clothes. Sometimes it’s about the people you’re around. “I usually spend my holidays with just my mom,” Curtsinger said. “If my grandma doesn’t go to St. Croix for Christmas, I’ll spend the holidays with my grandparents too.” The Blotter www.nahsblotter.com
We Wish You A Merry Musical By Olivia Quillo Musical Theatre Students Spread Christmas Cheer The Christmas season isn’t complete without the annual Mini Musical. Along with their classes, seniors Riley Frakes and Samantha Wilson hit the road in New Albany and Floyd County to perform their yearly holiday performance. The production is performed by students in the two Musical Theatre classes here at NAHS, and is directed by the Head of the Theatre department, Ms. Simmons. This festive performance for all Elementary and Middle Schools in New Albany and Floyd County, along with the Juniors and Seniors at NAHS, was written by the students themselves. Senior Riley Frakes, who is in the fifth period Musical Theatre class, talks about the story and message the class wanted to convey for the performance. “This year our Mini Musical is about all of these stars being assigned to different trees,” said Frakes. “The overarching message is that you should never let anyone dim your own light, and you should always be yourself and not try to be somebody or something you’re not, because sometimes people can say that you’re ‘too bright’, but in reality, you’re not.” The process of writing and practicing the play was slightly different then the past years it was performed. This year there are two classes instead of just the one from previous years, both taught by Ms. Simmons, so the students had to find ways to collaborate together between the two periods. Senior Samantha Wilson, who is in the sixth period class, explains the process of creating the play. “We started writing the play last school year. We had four different scripts, and then this year, we voted on which ones we wanted to work on more, and then we created New Albany High School two brand new stories as well. The casting was chosen by Ms. Simmons with all of us putting down which roles we wanted to be considered for,” Wilson said. “We read the script aloud multiple times to allow everyone in class to brainstorm and put out ideas for us to add. Ms. Simmons also helped us with refining and expanding ideas within the story.” Frakes further explains the different ways the students were able to work together to successfully write the play. “So one was chosen out of all of the groups, but then after that specific one was chosen, we all kind of sat in a group and voiced our opinions about things, and were able to write our own dialogue or add a suggestion,” Frakes said. “We actually had someone come in, a playwright, come in and help us, and she definitely was a lot of the reason why everyone got to put in their own input. Even if their suggestion wasn’t always used, everyone got a say in what was being added or taken out.” Wilson addresses the challenges that her class faced when creating the play such as having to dig deeper into the character’s personalities and motives. “We had a hard time figuring out characters and their purposes within the storyline. We didn’t want just a general ensemble for everyone that’s not a named character, so we made sure that everyone has a purpose within each scene,” Wilson said. There are many newcomers to the Musical Theatre classes this year. Frakes discusses the difficulties the students in her class had when making the play. “I think the challenges of one, there are some people who have never done the Mini Musical or have been a part of the process. We had to say like hey, we’re going to sit here and edit this script and work on it as we go,” Frakes said. “So definitely working on these things together and having people who have done it before versus who haven’t and just finding a way to make it all work.” The Mini Musical has always toured around the elementary and middle schools in New Albany and Floyd County, so the writers of the play try to make it intended for a younger audience. For the past 15 years, Donna Love has written the Mini Musical, and before her it was Tom Weatherston and David Longest. “There was a challenge in trying to balance making a story that was engaging while still being on grade level for elementary and middle schoolers, but also trusting their ability to understand the story,” Wil- The Blotter son said. “We didn’t want them to be bored or for us to think too little of them. Even though they’re young, they’re still capable of understanding a storyline. The students have been working hard to prepare the play for the schools that they are touring. They have a short amount of time to get ready to perform, so the students have to be determined and dedicated. The class normally tours around nine elementary schools, three middle schools, and then ends the journey by performing for their fellow juniors and seniors at NAHS. Due to the snow day interrupting their tour, they were not able to make it to every school. “We’ve been working since around fall break and then we perform normally right after Thanksgiving break. We go on tour the week we get back from Thanksgiving break, so I’d say it’s about like a month, a month in process during class, and then we have a couple out of school rehearsals,” Frakes said. Performing the Mini Musical can be stressful because of the challenges that have to be overcome, but it can also be a way students can create memories with their friends and have a good time. “I have a feeling that my favorite part is going to be today. After school we finally get to [practice the performance] altogether because our classes are always split up,” Frakes said. “It’s been difficult having other people just fill in or like there being gaps, so once everyone is there being able to do it all together, I think it’ll be fun.” “My favorite part about performing for the kids is the smiles and cheer that they have watching us come in,” Wilson said. “They all get so excited to see Santa and all of his elves, and it makes everything so worth it.” www.nahsblotter.com
Christmas is a time of family of gratitude By Tomas Sandefer As the holidays approach, students are getting ready for a season filled with traditions - some familiar, some completely unique and all rooted in family, culture, and gratitude and thanks. For junior, Gretel Ormos, who is Catholic and Venezuela, Christmas Eve is the heart of the holiday. “We actually stay awake the whole night on Christmas Eve - and we open gifts at 12 midnight,” she said. This is a common tradition common in many Latin American countries where children and adults exchange gifts at midnight on Nochebuena (Christmas Eve). Ormo says the food is just as important as the celebration itself: plates of tequeños, arepas, and hallacas fill the table. While Christmas is major at her home, she mentioned that her family doesn’t really celebrate more American based holidays like Thanksgiving or Halloween. For her, Christmas is more of a direct connection to her Venezuelan roots. Freshman Kaitlyn Scott’s Christmas looks different than Ormo’s, but just as meaningful. Her family begins the holiday at church before heading off to continue her family tradition - eating teriyaki chicken and rice at Tomo every year. “It’s our thing,” she said while laughing. She also looks forward to visiting her grandparents every year, a steady tradition that an- New Albany High School chors the holiday with family time. For freshman Madison Jacobs-Basham, the highlight is also traveling to her grandparents’ home, something that only happens once a year. “It’s always special,” she said. Like many families, hers also attends church during the season. She added that she’s grateful her family has the resources to celebrate, especially knowing that not everyone has that opportunity to celebrate the holidays. For her, Christmas is both a celebration and a moment of reflection. Linette Reyes, a student from Mexico City, celebrates Christmas as a part of her Catholic upbringing. She described how her city lights up with festivals, community gatherings, and one of her favorite activities - going to the seasonal ice rink. Food is a part of the joy, too. She says she loves Rosca de Reyes, a sweet bread traditionally eaten in early January to celebrate Dia de los Reyes. Despite coming from different backgrounds and traditions, each student’s cele- The Blotter bration shares the same thread: Christmas is a time of family, gratitude, and the little rituals that make the season their own. Whether it’s staying up until midnight, gathering at church, visiting grandparents, or savoring traditional foods, these traditions reveal how diverse and meaningful the holidays can be within one school community. www.nahsblotter.com
By Hunter Robertson Statement of Policy & Purpose The Blotter Staff Charlie Bott Molly Braun Janelle Calderon Telia Laffin Rose Metelko Olivia Quillo Hunter Robertson Charlee Rogers Tomas Sandefer Haylee Shoots Adviser Christina Faulkner New Albany High School It is the policy of the New Albany-Floyd County School Board of Education that publications are established as forums for student expression and as voices in the free and honest discussion of issues and ideas. For purposes of this policy, “publications” shall include newspapers, yearbooks, magazines, and/or electronic and/or on-line media. Each medium is an instructional device for the teaching of writing, communication, design, leadership, and other journalistic skills and should provide full opportunity for students to inquire, questions and exchange ideas. Student journalists will use the professional standards outlined in this policy to determine the content of student media, with the guidance and instruction of their faculty adviser. Content should reflect all areas of student interest, including topics about which there may be dissent or controversy. The Blotter www.nahsblotter.com
By Rose Metelko No Place Like Home For the Holidays So what happens when exchange students aren’t home? Chloe Bekol, a French Senior: Margherita Nurra, an Italian Senior: Q: Can you tell me about the process you went through to become an exchange student? “In Italy, everyone is pretty much expected to do an exchange year. It’s better than studying in Italy becuase high school in Italy is harder, so no one wants to do it if you can go somewhere else instead.” Q: Are you enjoying it here so far? What is one thing you like and one you don’t? “Yes, it’s okay. I like the food. I mean, I prefer Italian food, but I also like American food. Sometimes I don’t like the people here, like, everyone is sweet, but fake.” Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in your home country? “Yes. It’s about the same as here.” Q: What is your favorite holiday? “Christmas and Halloween.” Q: How do you usually celebrate the holidays? “It’s similar [to American Christmas], but we celebrate on the 24th a lot more.” Q: What are your plans for Christmas this year? Have you done anything to celebrate yet? “I will stay with my host family, probably. I’ve enjoyed looking at the decorations outside already.” Q: Is the holiday season in your home country similar to in the USA? “It’s pretty similar to the holidays in Italy so far.” Q: Lots of people spend time with their families over Christmas break. Are you going to see your family at all? How do you feel about that? “I don’t really care. I mean, I’m gonna call them, but it’s just one year.” New Albany High School Bertram Eske-Lund, a Danish Senior: Q: Can you tell me about the process you went through to become an exchange student? “So, I realized [the exchange program] was a thing, and I went home to my mom, like, ‘Hey, do you want to pay for this?’ And she said, ‘Yeah,’ and then I signed up, and I chose to go to America. And then I got my visa, and I flew here.” Q: Are you enjoying it here so far? What is one thing you like and one you don’t? “Yeah, I love it. One thing I like is that everyone is so sweet, and one thing I don’t is that it’s kind of ghetto here.” Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in your home country? “Yeah-- but it’s different [in Denmark].” Q: What is your favorite holiday? “Christmas.” Q: How do you usually celebrate the holidays? “We dance around the Christmas tree, and that slowly turns into dancing around the house, and we all get drunk and open presents, and eat lots of food.” Q: What are your plans for Christmas this year? Have you done anything to celebrate yet? “I’m gonna be with my host family and their extended family at my house. We started decorating yesterday.” Q: Is the holiday season in your home country similar to in the USA? “Yeah, it is. In Denmark, we celebrate on the 24th, nothing on the 25th.” Q: Lots of people spend time with their families over Christmas break. Are you going to see your family at all? How do you feel about that? “I can’t go home. I mean, it’s fine, I guess. I’m just gonna send them gifts.” Giovanna Matavel, a Brazilian Senoir: Q: Can you tell me about the process you went through to become an exchange student? “This was my dream since I was a kid. And America was my first choice. So, basically, my parents want me to go and I had to find a high school with a program that partners with my school in France, and then apply and get accepted.” Q: Are you enjoying it here so far? What is one thing you like and one you don’t? “Yeah, I love it here! I feel like people in the U.S. don’t judge you like in France. And one thing I don’t like is the food.” Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in your home country? “Oh yeah, I love it. It’s my favorite!” Q: What is your favorite holiday? “Christmas.” Q: How do you usually celebrate the holidays? “We do a big meal with my whole family the day before Christmas. And then the day of Christmas, we do another one, but not as big as the one before.” Q: What are your plans for Christmas this year? Have you done anything to celebrate yet? “I think we will have a big meal with the dad’s side [of the host family], and then another meal with the mom’s side, but I’m not sure yet. I’ve already bought a gingerbread house to build.” Q: Is the holiday season in your home country similar to in the USA? “No, it’s not similar. In France, we don’t put up a lot of decoration.” Q: Lots of people spend time with their families over Christmas break. Are you going to see your family at all? How do you feel about that? “I’m kind of sad, but I love the U.S. so much, and I love my host family so much. I don’t feel like I;m missing anything because I feel like I’m already with my family, even if it’s not my real family.” Q: Can you tell me about the process you went through to become an exchange student? “I had to look for an agency in Brazil, and we talked a lot. I had to have an English test to see if my English is okay, becuase I can’t come to a country if I don’t know the language. So basically, we take the test and pay [the agency] a lot of money. The visa is the worst part. I had to get a student visa, and it’s a big process. You have to fill out a big application and do a huge interview, and I was so nervous I was, like, shaking.” Q: Are you enjoying it here so far? What is one thing you like and one you don’t? “I like it here! I’ve really enjoyed the snow so far, but it gets a lot colder here than in Brazil.” Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in your home country? “Yes, I celebrate Christmas with my family every year.” Q: What is your favorite holiday? “Christmas!” Q: How do you usually celebrate the holidays? “We decorate the house, and I usually cook with my family. My favorite thing to make is some weird dessert, and yeah, it’s good.” Q: What are your plans for Christmas this year? Have you done anything to celebrate yet? “I’m excited! I haven’t done anything yet, but I’m gonna stay with my host family. Q: Is the holiday season in your home country similar to in the USA? “I think the decorations are pretty similar, but the weather is different becuase it’s warmer in Brazil.” Q: Lots of people spend time with their families over Christmas break. Are you going to see your family at all? How do you feel about that? “No, I can’t see my family. It’s really sad, but it’s okay.” The Blotter www.nahsblotter.com
Fleepit Digital © 2021