From Spain to Minnesota: Meet Naroa Burreso

By Sophia Khori
 
Naroa Burreso joined the Benton family and the St. Elizabeth community from over 4,000 miles away in Basque Country, Spain for a year in Eagan. Naroa’s name translates to abundance in English. Back in Spain, she lives with her mother and two sisters, Nahikari, 21, and Nahiane, 10.  Leaving home for this long of a period of time and leaving Europe are two new experiences that Naroa knew she would be getting herself into straight away. In the past, she has traveled to France, Germany, England and Portugal, so coming to America for a year was a new experience that she wanted to partake in before finishing high school. 

Left to right: Naroa Burreso with her host sisters Nellie and Kali Benton.

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When she was asked about her life back in Bassque County, Naroa said, “everything is different.” She explained that living in a suburb in the middle of Minnesota is a whole new experience.

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Naroa wanted to travel and learn in America to further her English knowledge and learn more about a new culture and way of living.  Naroa has been studying English in school since age six,  “in Europe, knowing English is important,” Naroa explained. So, she came prepared to learn all subjects in English, and when she returns to Spain she will be able to take a language proficiency test to showcase her experience with the language for university and job applications. 
 
Besides learning English, Naroa’s favorite subjects in school are physics and math, and she intends to further her education in these areas at university. Presently, she is a junior at Eagan High School, which is different than if she would be at home. In Spain, she would have started college this year, and would be starting to focus her studies in math and science, her areas of strength.  Nonetheless, she is enjoying her academic experience, because she is able to constantly practice her English and is taking electives like photography and cooking that she wouldn’t be able to take back home.  Additionally, she has been able to meet and connect with new friends and classmates, as she went from a class of about 40 students to around 700 students.

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"Straddling two nations on the Atlantic Coast — stretching about 100 miles from Bilbao, Spain, north to Bayonne, France — lies the ancient, free-spirited land of the Basques." Learn More

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Besides adjusting to school, Naroa has also had to make transitions socially. Naroa said, “everything is different,” when she was asked about her life back in Basque County. She explained that living in a suburb in the middle of Minnesota is a whole new experience. Here, if she wants to hang out with friends for a mall trip or a movie, she can’t go without taking a car, while back home she is always walking to visit friends or utilizing public transportation.  She explained that she misses this aspect of being at home and said, “My life is more social, because everything is closer and it’s not as cold.”  She has found herself staying more during the winter and watching a lot of T.V.  One of her favorites is “How I Met Your Mother,” and back home she enjoys watching the Spain version of “The Voice.” Some of her other hobbies include playing piano and running track and cross country running.
 
We have been happy to welcome Naroa to our church during her stay here, and were excited, recently, to host her mother for a visit. At home Naroa attends her Catholic church, Parroquia de San Martin de Tours (located in Algorta a village in Gexto township) but it has been exciting for her to pray with our close-knit community of St. Elizabeth during her year abroad. ​