Junior Connor McAndrew grew up in Missouri, but moved to Spain with his family during his seventh grade year, where he attended an international school. Last year, he moved back to the U.S.

lhsimage.com asks what life was like across the Atlantic.

Q: How was you school in Spain different from Lafayette?

A: “My school was very laid back, and the whole atmosphere was very different. Emphasis wasn’t just on getting good test scores, but other aspects of life. The projects we completed for school were not the same as LHS, we often did videos or other creative mediums for assignments. It was kind of a Bohemian-type school.”

Q: Did you learn a lot of Spanish while you were there?

A: “I did learn quite a bit of Spanish. I had three classes that were taught in Spanish. It was also the informal language between the students by my school, because the majority of students spoke [Spanish] fluently.”

Q: After moving back to the U.S., did you notice any cultural differences between American and Spanish students?

A: “I did. In general, American students are much more respectful to their teachers. Spanish teenagers didn’t particularly care what their teachers thought of them, and frequently got in shouting matches with their teachers.” 

Q: What do you miss most about living in Spain?

A: “I miss my friends the most. I also miss traveling and the atmosphere of my school. There, a typical field trip might be a trip to Amsterdam or Berlin. My friends there were also quite diverse in their nationalities, and it was cool knowing people from all over the world.”

Q: Would you like to live in Spain again someday?

A: “It was great living in a huge coastal city that was safe, and being able to get around without a car on the subway and trains. I would love to go back and live in Barcelona, and I plan to after or during college.”