In an effort to experience a taste of American culture, a group of 15 foreign exchange students from Argentina came to Niles West and visited Chicago last week.

Fifteen-year-old Agustina Buonomo arrived here Jan. 14. Since then, she’s been staying at Concordia University and experimenting with both public and private schools.

One of the facilitators of the program, director of physical welfare Joaquin Stephenson, said he was both happy and sad at the same time while the students were here.

“I was happy that they have the opportunity to see what we have here, and I was saddened because every student should have the programs that we have here,” Stephenson said.

Not only has Buonomo been experiencing American schooling systems, but while here, she has also taken a road trip up to Wisconsin to ski. Buonomo said that she wasn’t exactly a natural at the sport — she took a pretty nasty fall — but overall, she did enjoy herself skiing and getting to be in the cold weather and snow, which is rare in Argentina.

The climate wasn’t the only thing that was different for her. Buonomo also had fun shopping at Oakbrook Mall in stores like Tommy Hilfiger. She took advantage of the fact that the prices are much cheaper here than they are in Argentina.

Buonomo has been experiencing new things since she arrived, and she looks forward to trying even more new things until she leaves on Jan. 31.

She admitted that Chicago has been her favorite location, and she’s especially enjoyed trying new foods such as bacon, which was a treat for her.

Buonomo took an interest to learning English because they “speak it everywhere,” and she believes that it will help her with her career and life in the long run.