While being a new kid is tough for anyone, Anna Hellman is on a journey that not many students embark on: going to a new school in a new country through the exchange program.
    Hellman, 16, traveled from her hometown of Uppsala, Sweden, to come to Noblesville this past summer. She started her junior year at NHS, excited to meet new people and learn what living and going to school in the United States is like.
    “People tend to assume that there’s a language barrier when it comes to exchange students, and sometimes avoid trying to talk to them. I learned English at a young age, so there’s no barrier of the sort here. Honestly, the barrier is formed by a culture clash,” Hellman said.
    Hellman signed up for the exchange program because she felt as if she needed a change in her life. While being here in the States, she’s gotten to experience and learn much more than she thought she would.
   “It seems like fifty percent of the time, I’m confused about something. It sounds like that’s a recurring theme for most exchange students though. The purpose of the program is to allow us to learn about other countries and other cultures– the learning just comes with a few faux pas and delays.”
    One way Anna Hellman has found her niche at NHS is through photography.

    “I started playing with a camera in seventh grade, and have taken pictures ever since. My favorite subjects usually pertain to nature, like water, flowers and other foliage.”    

While here in America, Hellman will be taking a trip to the west coast this summer and is excited to bring her camera along.

    “Here in Noblesville, you aren’t always near nature, and you usually have to drive a ways out somewhere to get wide stretches of nature. In Sweden, I could walk a few minutes and find nature scenes that are perfect for what I want. Therefore, taking pictures around here can be a bit difficult, but I’m hoping that this summer’s trip will give me the opportunity I’ve been looking for.”

    While Hellman doesn’t plan on making photography her career, she does consider her love for photography to be something of a happy accident.

    “I just happened to buy a camera one day,” Hellman said, “and after figuring out how to use the different settings, things just seemed to click.”