“Girls always take house forks when they go out because weapons are illegal,” said Nora Engman, a foreign exchange student currently at Green Bay Preble High School.

She shared that weapons are illegal in Sweden, including pepper spray. Only policemen have guns.

She is currently a junior and an avid hockey player.

Her older brother did an exchange in the U.S and sparked her interest to spend a year abroad as a Rotary International Student.

“I wanted to choose a country with ice due to my love of hockey,” said Engman. She has played hockey for three years and played on a club team in Sweden. “Hockey is bigger in Sweden,” she said.

Her dad, being a former player, sparked her interest in playing hockey.

“Football is the most American thing you can get,” said Engman. She was shocked and drove down to the front entrance of the NDA football field with Mrs. Brown, who was hosting her for a weekend, and watched the players practice. She had never seen American football before.

Engman noted many differences between Sweden and America, such as there is no tipping of servers in Sweden, the mail boxes are set up very differently, all weapons are illegal, people are not so extroverted toward strangers and people here dress down a lot more.

“In Sweden, it’s normal for guys to wear blazers and girls to wear high heels to school, even though there is no dress code,” said the Swede, whose host family is senior Michael George’s family.

“My favorite Swedish tradition is Midsummer,” said Engman. She shared that Midsummer includes dressing up, singing, dancing and searching for the magic fern flower at midnight.

She also shared about Christmas traditions, such as every four Sundays before Christmas you wear a crown.

“I am very happy that I am here,” said Engman.—Nicholas Felker

Nora Engman is a Swedish exchange student who has been in the U.S. for four weeks and is hosted by Michael George’s family.

Micheal, a senior at NDA who was involved in the tech team before studying abroad in Taiwan, recently returned to finish his last year at NDA and graduate with the class of 2025.

Both Michael and Engman participated in the Rotary Club’s International Program.

Engman was born in 2008 and is a junior at Preble High School. She is originally from Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, and brought their fashion styles to America. This style is defined as a mix of urban and Scandinavian minimalist styles.

In her free time, Engman plays hockey. She has been playing it for three years and is currently looking for a team to join for her time in America. She also enjoys skiing when given the chance.

“I wanted to choose a country with ice sports,” said the Swede. Hockey was factored into her decision, but it also included advice from her brother who had previously studied abroad in America.

Engman also explained that she watched American movies and was surprised how the mailboxes and school buses were actually like the movies in real life. She was also surprised by food portions being so large and is still getting used to being able to refill fountain drinks for free at restaurants.

“In the U.S. you’re much more extroverted,” Engman said. She also misses public transportation, saying, “There’s barely any city buses and I can’t get around.”

In Sweden, you must be 18 to get your driver’s license but it’s common for most to not pursue one until they are 25.

She also struggles with the new school structure. Engman explained that in Swedish schools you have different subjects every day and can take up to 16 subjects. There are no bells to indicate the start or end of a period, and all classes end at an even time, such as on the hour or half hour.

Engman also finds the workload a difficult adjustment. “It’s easier,” she said, “but it’s more, and back home it’s harder but less.”

“In general we are pretty formal,” she said. “It’s normal for girls to wear heels and boys to wear suit shirts and blazers.”

Even though her school didn’t have a dress code, every student and teacher dressed professionally, and it was a big shock to her that it is common for students to wear sweatpants to school at Preble.

“I kind of miss nature and going on walks,” Engman said in reference to all the roads and parking lots here. She is also intrigued by all the “big pickup trucks.”

Back in Sweden, Engman worked in a tourist shop. Her father worked in IT and her mother worked for the government.

One of her favorite things in America is the sun being up at most times of the day. In Sweden daylight is very short, sometimes averaging only four hours a day.

Engman hopes to visit Texas, Hawaii and the mountains in Colorado.

So far she is not homesick. She has been happy with her host family and hopes to become more comfortable in her American school.–Ally Paprocki