The opportunities of living abroad are never-ending. Joining a new family, learning a new language, and attending a new school are all part of this experience. This is the current life of senior Theodor Borge.

Coming from Norway, Borge is traveling through EF Education Tours, which randomly assigns the foreign exchange student to a family and school. The student can also choose a specific state if they are willing to spend extra money.

“I didn’t choose any [state],” Borge said. “I just [let] the program choose whatever gave me the best.”

While being in Kansas, Borge has made many comparisons between school life here andhis hometown.

Schools in Norway start anywhere between 8 and 10 a.m., and end between 2 and 4 p.m., depending on if the student finishes their work early.

“We don’t have to wait for the bell to ring,” Borge said. “If we are done [with our work] five minutes before, we can just go ahead and go.”

Along with this freedom, students also get to travel during class to accomplish assignments. This is especially true for Borge, due to him choosing a career route of media and communications.

“Whenever we have a project that we need to film or take pictures, we can move everywhere even outside of the school,” Borge said.

This ability to trust students enough to allow them to control their own time also helps students grow their friendships.

“It’s easier to hang out with friends and spend some time with them throughout the school day without just having to do school stuff all the time,” Borge said.

After Borge finishes his last school year, he plans to join the military, which after traveling to the US, has helped him gain more experience.