Velma Welch, AFS'er from Panama, likes the many activities and courses that Maine West offers; and she likes the school spirit. At her school in Panama, the Rainbow City High School, there are a few clubs and sports, but not as many as there are at Maine West. Velma and her family live in the Canal Zone in Panama, which extends for five miles on either side of the canal. Her school and a university are run by the Panama Canal Company.

Three Areas of Study

A student's day starts at 8:20 am. and ends at 3:15 p.m. There is a break for lunch at 11:35, when students go home, and classes resume at 1:00. There are seven periods of 45 minutes each. When a student enters ninth grade, he chooses between a business, college preparatory, and a general course. For the rest of his high school years, he follows a set program with only one or two choices.

Some of the courses offered are physics, chemistry, trigonometry, algebra, geometry, socio‑economics of Panama, civics, English, Spanish, philosophy, and biology.

Velma's oldest brother Leo is attending college and is majoring in engineering. Her older brother Ricardo is working, as is her sister Deanna. Her youngest sister Marcia is still attending school and is very active in sports. especially track.

Interested in Nursing

Velma plans to take nurse's training at a hospital in Panama City where she will become a registered nurse. After she completes her training, she would like to travel and see more of the world.

When she told her parents she was going to try for the scholarship, they said that it would be a good experience for her and that if she wanted to go, it was up to her to decide.

The AFS program in Panama has been in existence for only four years. Every year, however, there are more applicants, for scholarships. Velma became interested in August '64 when she heard three returning students speak and saw the ad in a newspaper for applications. Velma took one comprehensive test, then had two interviews; one concerning herself, and the other concerning her family. She found out that she was coming on July 13, 1965, and she left Panama on August 24, 1965.

On comparing students, she commented, "Students here are friendlier and joke a lot more." In other respects she thinks that the students "are about the same in their attitudes."

First White Christmas

Velma makes her home with the M. Bretsnyder Jrs. and their daughter Marianne, who is a senior at Maine West. This will be Velma's first white Christmas, as temperatures in Panama rarely go below 65 degrees. She has already heard about the low temperatures and great amounts of snow, but she is still looking forward to seeing snow for the first time!

Gustavo Herrero of Argentina thinks "the school spirit is the best thing about Maine West students." At Gus' school, Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires, no extra‑curricular activities are offered. Gus likes the enthusiasm the students have for sports and school activities.

Heavy Academic Load

The school day in Buenos Aires starts at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m. Students have six 45‑minute class periods without any studies or lunch. In Argentina "school is strictly business." Students follow a strict pattern and are allowed only one choice in their third year, the choice of taking German or English. Ten subjects are required a year, coming from this list: physics, chemistry, Latin, French, German, Spanish, psychology, American and Argentine literature, anatomy, geology, botany, and many courses in history. Students start their six years of high school at age 12, but only some students are lucky enough to further their education by attending a six year college.

Gus enjoys playing tennis and is an excellent player. He has won five trophies since he has been in Des Plaines, and he has many more back home. In Argentina if a boy wants to be active in sports, he must join a club. Physical education is not offered at school, and a boy must use his own initiative to participate in sports. Gus' talent for tennis runs in the family, as his older brother was Junior Champion of Argentina and competed in Florida.

Gus is undecided about his future but believes he might choose a career in the areas of either science or social science.

"My sister is anxious to follow me and come to the United States as an AFS exchange student," Gus mentioned.

The tests for an AFS scholarship are extensive. The candidate must pass a number of tests, then be interviewed to determine his family's way of living. How well he does on a test determines whether he can proceed to the next one. He takes written, oral, and psychological tests in order to determine his eligibility. When he told his parents he had applied for an AFS scholarship, "they were overjoyed and encouraged me very much." Gus did very well on all his tests and was confident of his chances of coming to the United States.

AFS Expanding

Although the AFS program in Argentina is not fully developed, it is growing every year. Gus came with a group of 80 students.

Gus doesn't see much difference between the students here and the ones back home, except that students in Argentina don't have cars because the driving age is 18. In other ways, he thinks living here is about the same as in Argentina.

First Sight of Snow

This will be the first white Christmas Gus has seen. The temperatures in Argentina average 80 degrees in the summer and 45 degrees in the winter. Gus will share this white Christmas with the C. Elbert Ritters and their son Terry, who is a senior at Maine West.

Comparing Buenos Aires, a city of five million people, with Chicago, Gus says that Buenos Aires covers more surface than Chicago does. Buenos Aires has fewer skyscrapers and more parks where sports can be played. There are two lakes within the city limits, and most of the city is residential.

The most popular sport in Argentina is soccer, which is much like our game of football. Young boys are great fans and like to play the game in one of Argentina's beautiful parks. Most of the people follow the games just as Americans follow the baseball games.

Both of our AFS students are intelligent, capable ambassadors who are learning about America and its people. They have a sincere desire to promote understanding and are doing a good job of it.