Lyons Township High School - Tabulae Yearbook (La Grange, IL)

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mile from N and of Midnight uni, brightens LT halls The idea of having a Finnish foreign student at LT went over quite well-especially with the boys. A year in America was also well re- ceived by Katriina Saikkonen, an LT senior from Vaajokorski, Finland. She had heard many things about America from some of her Finnish friends who had visited before, but she had no strong opinions about what life would be like here. Instead, she came to discover for her- self what America has to offer. Her conclusions were that LT kids are really greati' and, because of this, she felt she actually became a part of LT. She particularly enjoyed the sports activities and pep assemblies and often found herself involved in such events. After her first assembly at North Campus during which she was introduced, she was both pleased and surprised at the number of kids who came up to her in the halls to say 'iHi though she had never met them. In general, Katriina found school to be less formal than in Finland and the students to be more concerned with group consent and what other people did. She became interested and involved in our presi- dential election and found it more exciting, though more commer- cialized, than in Finland. Though overcoming the language barrier was a minor problem for Katriina, who had studied English for five years, she leamed many things here-especially to smile more. Katriina found her year living with Sally Stockbarger and her family very en- joyable, but somehow incomplete-she missed her sauna! y 'sThis year has really taught me much: American History, English, Spanish, and finally, after all, we all live in the same small world, even if we live in U.S.A. or in Finlandf, Geography shows their countries hundreds ofmiles apart, but in Ill? quiet ofa home Katriinafnds afalher's warmth and understanding universal. Blushing at a reference made about her in a club presidents introduction, Katriina prepares to acquaint another segment ofLT with her homeland. 27

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J 0-v., MK Ajer a get-acquainted party, Katriina's face reveals her reali- zation that happiness is not limited to one country. 26 Sharing thoughts, a room, and Beulah, the family cat, form part ofKa- tr11na's Americanization. Well-stocked desk areas lure Katriina and Sally back to tomorr0w's school work afer dinner.

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Winter's paraphernalia absorbs Fernando as Pete introduces his South A merican brother to snow sports equipment. 28 Fernado keeps busy with soccer, parties, uitar-playing 2:30 a.m. on a misty morning late last August found Pete King and his family meeting the bus that brought Fernando Boschini into an unfamiliar world. The 17-year old Guatemalan found his associates at LT and other acquaintances considerably friendlier than he had expected, and he greatly appreciated their efforts to make him feel welcome. Entrance into LT provided Fernando with more surprises. He found the options of course choice available to him differed radically from what he had been accustomed to in Guatemala. One day in early December Fernando discovered that the pieces of falling sky were snow and soon after, he enjoyed a typically American white Christmas. Throughout the year Fernando found that his greatest problem in living the life of a foreign student was adjusting to Amer- ica's great pace of activity. Lettermenis Club surprised Fernando with a gift letter sweater earned for his skilled participation on the varsity soccer team. Membership in Lettermenis Club, Folk Music Club, AFS, and Spanish Club left him little time for himself and listening to Simon and Garfunkel, his favorite American recording artists. When he returns to Latin America in late july, Fernando plans to pursue a career as a doctor after attending college. He will always remember tithe freedom in the United States to do whatever you want to do, without people bothering you about it.', Q ig, '-W2 ' t If Uk' mai .. ' 1 - w':fW f-iw :-:Qt ' iii' L ' s Demonstrating his musical ability during a homework break, Fernando p1aV5 one Ofhfg nazivefolk songsfor his American brother.