From Bansk谩 Bystrica, a city of 80,000 laying in a wide valley surrounded by three mountain ranges in central Slovakia, to the rolling hills and pristine lakes of Nechako country, Barbora Kru拧p谩nov谩, 17, has travelled a long way - physically and culturally - to spend the next academic school year at the Lakes District Secondary School (LDSS).
Kru拧p谩nov谩鈥檚 year in 亚洲天堂 Lake was arranged through the International Rotary Youth Exchange program. She鈥檒l split her year between two 亚洲天堂 Lake families.
鈥淚 picked Canada as my number one choice out of 10 countries,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey let me know in March I would being going to Canada, and then by June that I would be going to 亚洲天堂 Lake.鈥�
After looking up 亚洲天堂 Lake online, Kru拧p谩nov谩 was pleased with what she discovered.
鈥淚t was very happy because I鈥檝e never lived in a small town and it looks nice.鈥�
Since arriving in the area, she went on a week-long camping trip into Tweedsmuir Park with a group of other foreign exchange students, local students, and two rotarians.
鈥淚t was raining a lot, and it was cold,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut we had such a blast.鈥�
With winter just around the corner you might wonder how Kru拧p谩nov谩 will deal with the long, cold season that settles in sometimes by the end of October. She鈥檒l be okay.
鈥淚鈥檓 very lucky to be this far north because we will have a lot of snow,鈥� she said.
An alpine skier at heart - Kru拧p谩nov谩 has been skiing since she was two years old - the LDSS ski and snowboard team my have a ringer for their roster. She鈥檚 been encouraged to try out for the local ski team by LDSS snowboarder and mountain-biker, Elise Dub茅.
After this year, she鈥檒l have one more year of high school in Slovakia. This year will count towards her graduation requirements, as long as she passes the required Slovak exams.
鈥淚 hope to make some friendships that will last, and to experience an entire Canadian year,鈥� Kru拧p谩nov谩 said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so lucky to have the experience and to be here in Canada because so many people don鈥檛 get to have that experience.鈥�
School starts for Kru拧p谩nov谩, and everyone else at LDSS, on Sept. 4, 2013.
