By Jolene FarleyTanja Zunic is one of three exchange students at Hills-Beaver Creek High School this year. Zunic, 16, from Germany, flew into Sioux Falls, S.D., on Sunday, Aug. 24. She is staying with host family Ron and Sandi Feucht, Hills. The Feuchts have six children, Matt, 21, and Melinda, 16, a junior at H-BC, live at home. "I have a really cool host family and sisters and brothers," she said. "I’m not even homesick."Zunic was born in Yugoslavia and moved to Germany with her dad, Panto, mom, Natasha, and brother, Nemanja, 14, when she was six-years-old. Zunic dreamed of becoming an exchange student for many years. "When I was 13 we made a project about school exchange,’ she said. "I asked my parents, they thought I was joking. … I wanted to get to know the culture, the language, the way of life," she said. Since arriving in the United States, Zunic has played pool, gone bowling and watched a movie. She also visited the malls. "You have everything in there. In Germany you have big stores right next to each other," she said. Tuesday was Zunic’s first day of high school in the United States. In Germany, students don’t choose their classes and the teachers come to the students instead of vice versa. Students attend school for 13 grades. There are no school clubs. Sports clubs are private and costly to join so many don’t participate in any sports. Zunic said Melinda has introduced her to many new friends. "I could go into school and you know them," she said. "That was the greatest to have friends here."Zunic has no difficulty understanding English. "Sometimes you don’t understand a few words but if you get the whole sentence you understand it."Zunic can stay in the United States until July 30. She said she is grateful to the Fuechts for opening up their home for her. "I really thank them that they gave me the opportunity to live here and show me their way of life," she said.
