Carihi currently has 25 international students attending, most of them staying for the entire school year.
Almut Hellwich is one of those students.She is from a town near Nuremberg, Germany. She is a Grade 11 student who is staying for the full duration of the 2016/17 school year.
“I love [Carihi],” Hellwich says. “The relationship from teachers to students [is] really good!”
Outside of school, she enjoys her time in Campbell River. She has zero problems with the wet and windy Island weather during this time of year.
“I’ve always wanted to live on the coast...and [that is] of course [where] there is the ocean”, says Hellwich.
Hellwich says that she wants to return to Canada in the future to explore the rest of the country.
“[I would definitely return] to see the friends I met here and to see my family.”
When thinking about home, Hellwich says she does not miss much.
“I don’t really miss anything because I know I will be back [very] soon,” she says. She does admit that the thing that she misses the most are the soft, bakery fresh pretzels in Germany.
Hellwich left behind her two parents and a younger brother, who she keeps in touch with via video chat and handwritten letters.
Anna Huesmann who is also from Germany and comes from a town near the city of Cologne. Huesmann, in Grade 11, wi returning home in time for Christmas.
“Campbell River is really different than cities in Germany,” Huesmann says. She enjoys the ocean and looking at the nearby mountains.
Returning to Canada to work or live is something many international students think about. “I would consider it, I don’t know yet what the future will bring,” Huesmann says. She does not think she would go to university here, as it is cheaper in Germany.
Huesmann, who is a part of the improv team at Carihi, says she “likes almost everything about Carihi.” She identifies the people as very nice and welcoming.
Being an only child, Huesmann left behind her two parents and her dog. She communicates with them through a messaging app.
Gleenle Shen is an international student from Hubei, China. Shen is currently in Grade 11 and has been at Carihi since the start of the 2015 school year.
Shen appreciates the beautiful scenery of Campbell River and the clear air in comparison to the haze in China.
“In China, the air [isn’t] good,” says Shen.
At Carihi, Shen is a part of the garden club, where students tend to numerous flowers and herbs that get used in the cafeteria and foods and baking classes.