(Middlefield, OH -) For the second straight year, Cardinal Local Schools is home to a foreign exchange student. This year, the Huskies are hosting two students — one from Finland and the other from Thailand.
Junior Lauri Ala-Uotila grew up in the countryside of Nokia, Finland, before moving to the capital city of Helsinki. Nokia is known for its scenic lakes, forests, and open fields — a place where people enjoy fishing, swimming, and kayaking in the warmer months, or cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.
“I’ve had an amazing experience at Cardinal High School, seeing how the American school system works and meeting so many great people,” said Ala-Uotila.
When comparing the two school systems, Ala-Uotila noted that high school in Finland is referred to as upper secondary school and runs from grades 10 through 12. Students may also choose to attend a vocational school — similar to Auburn Career Center in the United States — beginning in ninth grade. If students opt for vocational education, they may attend for three years, while a traditional high school in Finland is more focused on academics and studying.
“My favorite class is U.S. Government,” said Ala-Uotila. “Now, I’m much more aware of U.S. politics and how the government works, which I find very interesting.”
Ala-Uotila also found familiarity on the basketball court. He has been playing basketball since sixth grade. In Finland, however, participating in sports can be costly — often around $2,000 per year for a high school student — and practice schedules depend heavily on the coach and facility availability.
“I enjoy playing with students from the same school that we represent, which I think is the best part,” said Ala-Uotila. “The energy, positivity, and competition we have as a team — and what our coach, Coach Deckerd, brings — makes it amazing to be part of this team and see improvement not only in basketball.”
The 6-foot-1 small forward is averaging 4.5 points per game and 3.0 rebounds for the Huskies under third-year head coach Kyle Deckerd.
“It has been fun to learn about each of them and their lives back home,” said Deckerd. “Other than basketball, American cuisine has probably been our most discussed topic.”
One of the biggest surprises for Ala-Uotila has been adjusting to cultural differences in the United States.
“The biggest thing that surprised me living in the U.S. is how the social system works differently in the small details — how people think and do things, the laws, the school systems, and even the Amish,” he said.
Another adjustment Ala-Uotila enjoyed was experiencing American holiday traditions, especially Christmas.
“I’ve enjoyed participating in sports, which are organized amazingly well, and holidays as well,” said Ala-Uotila. “It’s been really nice to experience how people celebrate holidays like Christmas — without limits.”
One major celebration in Finland is the summer solstice, when people gather with close friends and family, light bonfires, and spend time in saunas. The holiday emphasizes peace, humility, kindness, and a close connection with nature.
“I do miss my loved ones in Finland and the moments in my own small life circle,” said Ala-Uotila.
Approximately 5,000 miles away from Helsinki, in Bangkok, Thailand, is where Peeratas Jutamatyangkul grew up. Cardinal’s second foreign exchange student this year, Jutamatyangkul, has been impressed with the variety of choices and support available to students at Cardinal Jr./Sr. High School.
“My school is about 15 minutes from home, but I usually have to wake up at 5:00 a.m. because if I wake up late, traffic gets bad and I’ll be late for school,” said Jutamatyangkul. “Schools here give students more choices. There are free periods for doing assignments or getting help, but at my school in Thailand, we don’t have free time or early dismissals.”
Like Ala-Uotila, Jutamatyangkul has joined the basketball team.
“When playing basketball in Thailand, we usually play jokingly with friends,” said Jutamatyangkul. “I think basketball is taken much more seriously here.”
“They just fit in with the kids around them,” said Deckerd. “Neither Lauri nor Peeratas had played organized basketball like this before, but both have been committed to the team since they arrived. They’ve improved every day, dedicated themselves to getting stronger in the weight room, and never cut corners. They’re very respectful kids and have fit in well with their teammates.”
Jutamatyangkul’s favorite class at Cardinal is Art Foundations with Ms. Hogue, where he enjoys working with friends and getting to know classmates better. He describes his time at Cardinal and in the United States as an opportunity that has helped him grow in ways he never imagined.
Despite the excitement, Jutamatyangkul admits there are things he misses from home.
“The thing I miss most is Thai food,” he said. “I also enjoyed Songkran — because Thailand is hot most of the time, it feels like playing with water using squirt guns.”
Songkran takes place each April for three days, from April 13–15. The tradition began as a Hindu spring festival marking the new harvest season in ancient India and is now most famously celebrated in Thailand. The festival symbolizes washing away bad luck and misfortune from the previous year.
“Calling someone your best friend is also strange for me,” said Jutamatyangkul. “In Thailand, it takes a long time — maybe one or two years — to call someone your best friend.”
Both students expressed gratitude for the opportunities Ohio and Cardinal Local Schools have provided. For Ala-Uotila, the experience has been defined by the people he’s met and the moments they’ve shared.
“My favorite memory from this year will be realizing that even as a stranger in a strange land, I survived and adapted to this unique life with the people I was meant to meet,” said Ala-Uotila.
“They only have one season with us and have been all-in with the program,” said Deckerd. “That speaks volumes to the rest of the team members who will be here for all four years of their high school careers.”
While there have been challenges along the way, Deckerd said working with Ala-Uotila and Jutamatyangkul has taught the coaching staff and team patience and appreciation for the moment.
“The language barrier means we sometimes need to explain things differently or more than once,” said Deckerd. “That helps us become better teachers. The speed of the game was likely very fast for them at first, but they’ve become much more comfortable. Our team has done a great job supporting them. A basketball team is like a family — nobody gets left behind.”
There’s no doubt the two young men will carry these experiences with them long after the season and school year end. Though life will eventually return to normal back home, this chapter will remain one they’ll never forget.
“There are many moments that are my favorite since coming to the United States,” said Jutamatyangkul, “like making a three-pointer in basketball — or having the courage to confess love.”