Opinion/Resources/Interview/Teen Perspective
By Teen Opinion Contributor Maggie VerDught
Photos: Deposit
I met Mafer in August, 2025. Her host sister introduced me at the beginning of marching band camp: “This is Mafer, from Mexico. She will be an exchange student here for the whole school year.”
I tried to hide my bubbling excitement, because I have been learning Mexican Spanish (consistently) since the beginning of 2025. I was overjoyed to hear that a native Spanish speaker would be attending our school, and part of our marching band at that! My first impression of Mafer was that she was shy, nervous, and incredibly beautiful. She looked like a model. I couldn’t believe that this girl would be going to our school in the fall.
The girl that I met in the middle of August is not the same girl that will be leaving the United States this week. She has spent an entire school year in the Midwest — far away from everything she ever knew. Mafer has improved her English, made sweet connections and relationships with many people, received all As in her classes, and she has not only survived, but thrived in a community and culture that is very different from her own. I’m so proud of her.
Mafer joined our marching band as part of the color guard. As I improved in my skills as a junior drum major, she learned to march and twirl her flag. I wanted to be her friend. At first, I just wanted to practice my Spanish with her, but as I grew to know her and interact with her, I realized that I wanted to be friends no matter what. We have a special, beyond-words connection together; we understand each other, and we are true friends.
I learned a lot in the 2025-2026 school year. Not only through marching band, but in all the other facets of my life — cross country, piano, and more. Mafer learned a lot, too, as she navigated her relationships and the new environment in general. We learned together, basically. That made us closer as friends. But it wasn’t easy.
Being a year-long exchange student is not for the weak. I saw this through a “window perspective,” as I watched Mafer learn and experience the hardship of separation from her family and friends back home. She missed birthdays, holidays, time with friends, and family celebrations. When she was sick, the familiar comfort of her mother’s cooking and words of kindness weren’t there to support her. Mafer is such a strong person, physically and emotionally, so most of the time she managed not to visibly express the pain she was feeling. However, as her friend, I know that it was very difficult.
Much of the time, though, being an exchange student was wonderful. Mafer and I have gotten to do many special things together, and she has done some awesome things with other friends as well! From visiting South Dakota, Chicago, or just spending time at “home” here in my city, there have been many cool opportunities for her to participate in.
It’s hard to say goodbye. It’s hard to leave a place, but more than that, what makes any place special is the people that are in it. And Mafer has become such a sweet friend in my life; selfishly, I don’t want to say goodbye. I know it is sad for her, too. The ache of separation causes tears, confusion, and sadness. Yet I also know that someday, I will visit Mexico, and we will do all the things we have talked about doing there together. We will continue to be friends, because some things never change, and she’s the kind of person I can talk to about anything. We have an amazing connection, and I’m so grateful for her. Saying goodbye is hard, but it’s not forever.
Yo te llevo dentro, hasta la raíz / y por más que crezca, vas a estar aquí / aunque yo me oculte tras la montaña y encuentre un campo lleno de caña / no habrá manera, mi rayo de luna / que tú te vayas / que tú te vayas
– Hasta la Raíz (cancion por Natalia Lafourcade)
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH MAFER:
What were your top 3 most favorite experiences in the USA this year?
Mafer’s response: My top three experiences were going to the Bahamas, being part of all the senior activities, and meeting people from all over the world. The Bahamas was incredibly special not just because of the beautiful beaches, but because of the company. Spending that time with my host family, and especially bonding with my host sister, made it unforgettable. As for the senior activities, what made them meaningful wasn’t really any one event itself, but the people who were there sharing those moments with me. And then there were the friendships I built with people from around the world: Lisa from Germany, Sara from Spain, and Noemi from the Netherlands, and obviously my American friends, people who truly left a mark on my heart and reminded me how much we can connect across cultures.
What are you going to miss most?
Mafer’s response: There’s so much I’ll carry with me when I leave. I’ll miss my friends deeply, especially the long walks we’d take from place to place and the early mornings at the gym with my closest friend. I’ll also miss the kind of freedom I had here that I don’t have back home, like the ability to just walk wherever I wanted or spontaneously decide to go somewhere without limitations. This city itself will stay with me too, the unhurried pace of life, the nature, and the open-minded way people carry themselves. And of course, my host family. They spoiled me in the best way possible and treated me like their own daughter. Every single moment with them was special, there’s no one thing to single out because all of it was.
What was the hardest thing about being an exchange student this year?
Mafer’s response: Adjusting. The first few months felt like a dream. Everything was new, simple, and different in the best way. But around the third month, the culture shock hit. I thought I didn’t connect with my host family, that they weren’t like my family back home but that’s exactly what this experience is all about: learning to adjust, grow, and change for the better. Learning that there are different kinds of worlds out there, and that they can be just as amazing. After working through that, everything got better, and I realized I had the best host family and the most wonderful people around me that I could have ever asked for.
What are you most looking forward to when you return to Mexico?
Mafer’s response: I’m looking forward to seeing my family and friends and readjusting to life back home. I’m excited to share all my stories and talk about the incredible people I met here. I can’t wait to hug my brothers and parents and most of all, to truly understand how much I’ve grown.
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Maggie VerDught is a high school student who enjoys learning about culture, news, and politics.
She is passionate about sharing the truth, especially with her generation. Maggie loves to run, read, and write poetry in her spare time.
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