Clearwater High School - Aqua Clara Yearbook (Clearwater, FL)

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rM ; sstS i 1 ! • 1 JV - W A long way from home , but dam well worth it By JAN I NE EADDY Chinese woks, pizza and pasta, clogs, beer, CARE advertisements, coffee — all reflections of another country’s effect on our American culture. We were constantly bombarded with Barbara Walters interviewing the Shah of Iran, Prince Charles or some other noted official every time you turned on the television or radio. Newspapers and magazines were filled with news from other countries. Beauty contests and the Olympic games threw the natives of many different countries into the public ' s eye. All this media exposure shaped our awareness of people from another hemisphere, but we tended to tuck all this information into the backs of our minds, thinking that we would never have to deal with cultures so different from ours. But did you ever stop to wonder how our culture appears to someone from another country? When asked his first impression of Clearwater High students, Volker Kusserow a native of West Germany, replied, “I think that Clearwater must be the capital for beautiful girls — they are everywhere.” ‘‘In Columbia all boys from the United States are considered handsome,” said Piedad Del Carmen Noguera. Piedad and Volker came to Clearwater under the International Fellowship. Magdalene Harne from B. Meyers Sweden, Herman Ackerman from Munich and Lu Lu DeLourdes Cisneros from Mexico, also traveled under the fellowship. Each student paid $2,250 to this corporation to be able to spend nine months living in Clearwater with an adopted” family and attending Clearwater High. For Volker, Lu Lu, Herman and Piedad the experience of living in the United States was a new one, but Magdalene has lived in New Jersey and Rhode Island. Why were these five students so anxious to leave their home for nine months to live in a totally new .and strange environment? I heard about the opportunity to come here from a teacher, and I immediately wanted to come,” said Volker. When I first arrived I was in shock, I did not speak hardly any English, recalls Piedad. All of the students found the people of CHS friendly. When I first arrived people ignored me until they found out that I was from Germany. Then they all talked to me and asked me questions,” said Herman. In Sweden we concentrated on close friendship — Americans seem to want to have many friends at one time,” said Magdalene. Foreign students looked forward to dating and driving as much as American students did. Dating as we know it, however, is almost unheard of in Sweden, Mexico, and Columbia. Those people date at parties and movies in groups of people. “Drinking is accepted in most of our countries,” said Volker. Levi’s, an all-American favorite, which sold for forty dollars in many countries and records were among the things the exchange students bought during their stay here. Fashion also seemed different. The quality blouses we buy for $30.00 you can find in the stores here for $1 5.00, so we have fewer clothes than the girls here,” said Magdalene. Girls do not dress as feminine in Germany. People go to school dressed in punk rock fashion with writing on their frayed jeans,” said Volker. Not only do they listen to the same music and wear the same jeans, students in other countries also watch American television shows such as Starsky and Hutch,” and Charlie’s Angels.” These TV shows and movies had the native languages dubbed in. Movies only cost $1 .00 or $1 .50 in Mexico — we go to see them all the time,” said Lu Lu. On the surface the differences seemed to be many and the barriers inconceivable, but all the five foreign students had to do was take the initial step. They brought us a little bit of their own culture and personality, and they in turn took a little bit of us home with them. In doing so, this big world will become a little bit smaller. 24 Foreign Exchange Students

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Surprised downtown motorists and store owners watch spirit-filled, excited students parade down Gulf-to-Bay screaming “Go Tornadoes!” and “Tornadoes are 1 !” in their hand-made floats during the Homecoming Parade for 1979. Tornado Tales, which was emceed by Mr. Jerry Hiers. But the competition didn’t end there. Friday afternoon, floats assembled in the parking lot, each depicting a different way to “Smoke the Spartans.” The parade wound out of the parking lot and followed the traditional route down Gulf- to-Bay to Fort Harrison. First prize went to the junior class who entered a huge ashtray and Spartan cigarettes. Friday night everyone assembled and watched as the T ornado team did smoke the Spartans. At halftime, Sandra Rice and her court, who were chosen by the student body, were presented. The dance following the game was attended by few — most in attendance were there for the sole purpose of listening to the band. Fusion. Many complained that the band didn’t play music you could dance to and left early, disappointed, to attend various parties. Planning, a queen, a parade, a football game, and a dance — a lot of work, all to make a Homecoming worthwhile. Homecoming. Scores of early risers swamped the school Thursday morning armed with toilet paper, balloons, masking tape and crepe paper — ready to attack their assigned halls. Each club was competing for the first place hall award, which was later given to the senior class. Some came as early as 5 a.m. to get an early start before everyone else arrived. On the evening of October 25, an unusually large crowd gathered in Jack White Stadium to watch all clubs at Students found the hall in front of the library transformed into another E and F Hall of Terror, only this hall was dedicated to spirit. Decorated by the Student Government the Tornado Tunnel of Terror came in third in the judging. ANo . . . Largo didn’t hit us again for another revenge of Largo night. Students “messed up” their own school in order to show spirit for the celebrated Homecoming festivities. Although they failed to win the float contest, senior spirit was high. Trish Miller and Chris Simon proudly ride their float. Homecoming 23

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Although they were not taking classes for credit the foreign exchange students were expected to attend classes regularly. Piedad Del Carmen keeps up with her studies at the library. Volker Kusserow finds Mrs. Elizabeth Ransom’s aeronautics class very informative, Volker plans to be a commercial airplane pilot.T J Upon her arrival, Lu Lu DeLourdes Cisneros immediately jumped into Tazmanian swimming Her speciality was butterfly. Foreign Exchange Students 25