One kid comes to America as an exchange student and commits herself to the senior year experience. Prologue: We talk to high school seniors in Salt Lake City who are trying to have the perfect year. (5 minutes) Yes 2024: Every year, thousands of teenagers come from all over the world to experience American high school. Last year, thirteen students from Palestine came to the US on a program sponsored by the US State Department. We tell the story of a girl named Majd, from Gaza, and her extraordinary year in America. (50 minutes)
From WBEZ Chicago, it's this American Life.
I'm Chana Joffe.
Walt sitting in for Ira Glass.
It's the first day of high school, Salt Lake City.
A bunch of students are standing around outside in clusters and the seniors are wearing little kid backpacks.
Ninja Turtles, hello kitty, Spiderman.
Big 17, 18 year old kids in Winnie the Pooh backpacks.
My colleague Miki Meek talked to seniors Estrella and Angie.
So you guys, what is the deal with, like, what's up with the backpacks?
Why is this a senior thing?
Cause, like, we enter school kindergarten, like with kids backpacks, you know, because we're little kids and then we're like leaving school with these on as well.
Do you guys have any specific plans you've already made for this year that, like, you want to do together?
Because it is your senior year, actually.
On Thursday or tomorrow, we're gonna go change our classes so it could be like together more and, like, make sure we have the same lunches and stuff.
Yeah.
You guys are in how many classes together?
Zero.
We have none.
So what's your plan for trying to get to the same class?
We're gonna beg our counselor.