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School Journal

Emeryville Secondary Student to Study in Czech Republic

David Mills
Connection Staff
November 2007

Aakaanksha Sharma is making history while she’s staying in the Czech Republic.

Sharma became the first foreign exchange student in Emeryville’s history when she boarded a plane in mid-October and flew to that European country’s capital of Prague.

The 15-year-old Emery Secondary School junior is staying with a host family and studying there until next summer as part of a Rotary International Youth Exchange program.

“I like to travel, so I thought this would be a good opportunity for me,” Sharma said.

The teenager applied last year for the exchange program. She was required to travel to a country where she didn’t know the language, so India was not an option. South America had no openings, so when Rotary officials told Sharma she could study in the Czech Republic, she jumped at the chance.

“They told me they could send me to Prague, so I said OK,” she recalled.

Since then, Sharma has been studying up on the northern European nation. She has learned the people there are friendly, but the weather is cold. So, she is packing plenty of sweaters. She’s also discovered Czech citizens eat a lot of chicken. The country is also filled with historical buildings, something Sharma looks forward to seeing.

Sharma has been encouraged to study aboard by her parents. Her father, Arvind Kumar, came to the United States from India on an exchange program in 1983. He eventually moved to this country in 1994.

“I was pleased about it because I’ve had the same experience,” said Kumar.

Sharma will attend Emery Secondary for her senior year a year from now. She carries a 4.3 grade point average at the moment and hopes to attend U.C. Berkeley after she graduates.

She plans to study medicine and eventually become an emergency room surgeon.

David Mills is a writer for The Emeryville

Connection. If you have a question or comment, please contact him at ecocnews@gmail.com