This past summer, Rachel Hirschler, a 10th grader at Bethany, spent three and a half months in Paraguay as an exchange student. During her time abroad, Rachel navigated challenges, embraced new experiences, and developed a deeper appreciation for global cultures.
While Paraguay’s primary language is Spanish, Rachel’s host family was part of a German-speaking Mennonite community, which made fully immersing herself in Spanish difficult. Despite this, she gained significant language skills through her classes at Concordia School and conversations with friends. Rachel also highlighted the welcoming nature of Paraguayan people, which made adapting to her new environment easier.
Cultural differences were both eye-opening and enriching. Rachel learned about traditional Paraguayan foods like chipa guazú and mbejú and enjoyed trying maté and tereré, popular teas in Paraguay. She also explored Paraguayan art, including pottery and intricate lace-making. However, Rachel also experienced culture shock and discrimination due to her ethnicity, offering her a unique perspective on diversity and belonging.
Her time in Paraguay deepened her understanding of the country’s Mennonite culture, which differs significantly from her experience in the U.S. She discovered that being Mennonite in Paraguay is often tied to ethnicity and language, which created some challenges as she navigated conversations about faith and identity.
Despite the challenges, Rachel found her exchange immensely rewarding. She made lasting friendships, expanded her worldview, and developed a profound appreciation for her community back home. “This exchange taught me more than any class or volleyball season ever would,” Rachel shared.
Rachel encourages students to consider exchange opportunities, emphasizing their potential for growth and learning. “Say ‘yes’ to opportunities wherever you can,” she said.
Bethany is proud of Rachel’s openness to new experiences and grateful for the way she represented Bethany while studying abroad.
In addition
Bethany welcomed 10th graders, Daniele and Fiorella as exchange students from Colegio Aleman Concordia. They will participate fully in classes during their exchange semester at Bethany. Daniele enjoys choir, the arts, and theater and is hosted by the Hirschler family. Fiorella enjoys history and theater and is hosted by the Torres family. Please welcome them to the Bethany community.