This year, Greeley West welcomed junior exchange student Andy Skjevling, who traveled from Norway to spend the school year studying in the U.S. Andy has been excited to dive into American culture, and one of the biggest celebrations he had been looking forward to is Thanksgiving because it’s a holiday he had never celebrated before.

Back home in Norway, Andy enjoys traditions like Christmas and Easter, but things look a bit different there. “We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving back home,” he explains. “The holidays are very different, and even though we celebrate some of the same ones, they aren’t exactly like the ones here.”

Coming to the U.S. has opened Skjevling’s eyes to all kinds of new festive ideas of fun. He was surprised by just how big American holidays can be. “You guys make a lot out of the holidays and make it a big deal,” he says. “For example, Halloween is not as big of a thing in Norway, but here it’s celebrated a lot more.”

So far, Halloween has been Skjevling’s favorite American holiday. He loved seeing the costumes, decorations, and the excitement before it started especially in the halls. “Everyone puts so much effort into it,” he says. “It was really fun over the weekend!”

Although he loves Halloween he has something else to look forward to – Thanksgiving! He was very excited not only because we have a week off school but also because of the food, traditions, and family gatherings. “I’m really looking forward to it because I’ve never celebrated it,” he said.

As Skjevling never celebrated Thanksgiving, he says, “I’m thankful for my host family, my new friends, and for having the opportunity to come to a new country to study and see what life is like.”