On Nov. 17, students from the Nanyang Girls High School of Singapore shadowed MVHS students

On the cold, drizzling Tuesday morning of Nov. 17,  a massive tour bus made a left turn into the MVHS bus circle and came to a stop. It dropped off 30 curious students from the other side of the world, who proceeded to the cafeteria, where refreshments were being served. From there on out, it was a whole new experience for the girls from Nanyang Girls High School in Singapore.

“For me, it’s the first time entering the United States,” sophomore Xueyan Hu said. “So far, it has been an eye-opening experience for me.”

According to Hu, one noticeable difference about the U.S. is the less structured society. For example, gum is banned in Singapore, and littering is a violation that entails severe punishment.

Gazing at the MVHS campus, Hu also noted its architectural differences from the NYGH buildings.

“Our main building [at NYGH] has four stories and is red and white,” Hu explained. “We have about 1,700 students and all of them are girls.”

In addition to the differences between MVHS and NYGH, sophomore Julia Ng explained that there were also some distinct similarities. Although the foreign students only visited MVHS for a few hours, they also noticed features about Cupertino that reminded them of home.

“On the way here, I saw a lot of trees,” Ng said with a smile. “We also have trees by the roads [in Singapore].”

“So far, it has been an eye-opening experience for me,” sophomore Xueyan Hu said.

Later that morning, the girls toured the MVHS campus by following student volunteers to first and third periods. It proved to be an interesting experience for both the foreign and local students. Surprisingly, MVHS students found that the Singaporean students blended in well with the MVHS environment.

“I really liked [the experience],” sophomore Simona Kotesova said. “I learned a lot about Singapore, like the fact that [the residents there] speak English and share similar hobbies like taking pictures.”

Though they only attended MVHS for about three hours, the girls from Nanyang gathered valuable experiences at a school very much different from their own. For both Ng and Hu, it was their first time in the United States, and academics were not their only point of interest.

“When I looked at the mall, there were so many pretty things to buy,” Ng said. “I think that is what I will remember the most about the U.S.”

After the brief visit, the NYGH students moved on to Los Angeles in their tour of California. The administration hopes to continue this year-long tradition of hosting the foreign students.