Local high school senior shares experiences in Czechia

When a Rice Lake High School senior ventured abroad recently, he embarked on unexpected adventures — including a transportation blunder, visits to well-known Eastern European cities and sites, and bonds formed with his host family.

But most of all he acted as an adept and enthusiastic ambassador in the ongoing cultural exchange between Rice Lake and its Czech Republic sister city Zamberk.

Nathaniel Hegle shared the experiences of his nine-week visit to Zamberk at Thursday evening's meeting of the Rice Lake International Friendship Association. His Jan. 21-March 31 time abroad also included unexpected adventures into two nearby countries.

The 18-year-old son of Brent and Sonya took advantage of the opportunity to represent Rice Lake, with RLIFA paying a portion of the cost for his trip.

The teen said his trip didn't start off so well but ended up much better once he got to his destination.

"My journey from the U.S.A. to Czechia started out fine, but I blundered when I arrived in Poland," Hegle shared. "Due to my mistake I had to stay overnight in the airport until the next flight came in the afternoon the following day. When I finally landed in Prague, I learned that my luggage had been lost.

"When Šárka’s son, Tomáš, got me on the train, I was picked up by my host father Mira," he said. "When he drove me home his family welcomed me, fed me and showed me where I would be sleeping. Being extremely tired due to jet lag, I quickly went to sleep after dinner. I slept for around 15 hours and was shown around town after my waking. The day after that I was taken to Žamberk and saw a couple schools I would be attending and also got to see Aleš and Matěj again. They gave me a tour of Gymnázium and invited me to a play their art class would be watching the next day."

The high school senior said his average day in Czechia had him waking up about 5:30 a.m., eating breakfast, boarding a bus with his host sister to Zamberk, attending English classes, and catching the bus home to Letohrad or doing karate, which he called "a ton of fun.” He also played board games with his host family — a couple and their five children ages 11-16 — during his free time. Then it was dinner and bedtime.

"While I am normally a picky eater, I went into this trip with an open mind toward food," Hegle said. He was pleasantly surprised and called the meals he tried "phenomenal."

One of the most memorable days of his trip was when he got to go on a field trip with an English class to Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic.

"Without a doubt, the highlight of the trip for me was seeing my first ever castle, Špilberk," the local student said. "It was really an awesome experience."

He also got to see the sights of Prague on a trip with the family of Adela Spacilova of Czechia, who has been attending Rice Lake High School this school year.

"We spent two days there and were able to see many of the amazing sights of the city," he said. "The sights consisted of things such as Wenceslas Square, the astronomical clock tower, the Petrin Lookout Tower, Olde Town Square, Charles Bridge and the magnificent Prague Castle."

Hegle was even able to visit two of the Czech Republic's neighboring countries — Poland and Italy.

"During my stay I had the opportunity to travel to Wroclaw [Poland] with the family of one of the English teachers," Hegle said. "Because Zamberk is close to the border with Poland, the drive only took under three hours. While we were there we saw the city's main square, cathedrals and a zoo filled with animals from all over the globe."

His stay abroad was timed just right because it coincided with spring break at the school of his host family.

"During spring break, one of my host sisters had her birthday," Hegle explained. "She wanted to visit Italy, so we got on plane and flew to the city of Bergamo. While we were there, I got to try authentic Italian food such as gelato, Neapolitan pizza and lasagna."

Wrapping up his presentation, Hegle told the RLIFA members, "It was truly a magnificent experience. Thank you for letting me represent you."

Lasting connections

"Nathaniel was so laid back and eager to meet people, learn new ideas and aspects of the Czech culture, and share his American culture with others," RLIFA student coordinator Amy Kelsey remarked. "His openness, curiosity and willingness to talk in front of people really made for a true exchange. Not only was he absorbing their culture, they were learning about ours."

A letter to Hegle sent from Lucie Vávrová, an English teacher at the Gymnázium in Žamberk who has visited Rice Lake, said, in part: "It has been an absolute pleasure having you as part of our community. Your positive attitude, openness to new experiences, and willingness to immerse yourself in our culture have truly enriched our lives. Your presence has not only brought joy to our school but has also fostered cultural exchange and understanding."

The letter added, "Please know that our doors will always be open to you, and you will forever hold a special place in our hearts. As you continue your journey, may you carry with you cherished memories of your time here and the friendships you've made."

Kelsey was pleased that Hegle has made those lasting connections.

"We were happy to have Nathaniel participate and represent Rice Lake," Kelsey said. "In this digital age, his physical and mental presence really made a difference for our sister city relationship."

Kelsey was thrilled that Hegle got the added bonus of getting to visit two other countries.

"Nathaniel was able to visit Poland and Italy during his stay, and foster an understanding of independence, diversity and personal responsibility," she said.

Hoping the sharing of his experiences will encourage other students to consider an experience abroad, either short-term or extended, the association's student coordinator said, "We look forward to offering this opportunity for personal growth and global awareness to other Rice Lake students again in the fall."