Exchange student leaves twin behind for MHS experience

Kaiya Lakes | The Chronicle

It’s a hot Ohio summer day as Faye Siontas, a senior at Mason High School (MHS), hugs her twin sister and father goodbye as they prepare to return to their life in Tuscany, Italy, while Siontas stays behind in the country she’ll now call home for the next year. 

Faye Siontas chose to leave behind her family, her friends, her twin and her entire life in a beautiful beach town in Italy to come to the United States. 

Siontas is living here with her two cousins, who are juniors at MHS, as she enters what America would consider her senior year. 

“I was excited to think about [coming to the United States],” Siontas said. “Even though the more I thought about it, the more nervous I got.”

Siontas has always had family ties to the states – she is completely American on her mothers side, so visiting the United States is something she is used to. She said her family usually comes once or twice a year to visit her grandparents in Michigan as well as the cousins that she is now currently living with.

Siontas’ cousin Emori Witmer-Gautsch, a junior at MHS, said her life is changing due to hosting Siontas here for the school year.  

“She usually only comes once a year, so I’m just now getting to know her more,” Witmer-Gautsch said. “It really just feels like I have an extra friend.”

Siontas also mentioned that her connections to her classmates and new friends have grown stronger due to what MHS likes to call “comet culture”. 

“As every day passes, I get to know my classmates better,” Siontas said. “So I not only meet more people, but I make more friends.” 

Even as Siontas adjusts to making friends here, it’s still difficult for her to come to terms with the fact that her best friend (and twin) Sofia Siontas remains in Italy.

“Not being able to go bother [Sofia] and knowing she’s a lot farther away from me is sad,” Siontas said. “But sometimes [living in the United States] is cool, because it’s new.” 

Sofia originally planned to come to America along with her sister, but later backed out due to the profession she is pursuing in italy. Siontas explained that in Italy, you go to a different high school based on your future career, Sofia’s being engineering. Siontas told us that there would be more drawbacks than benefits for Sofia to come, hence her choosing to stay behind.

Witmer-Gautsch, a twin herself, said she can imagine how difficult it must be to have to leave a sibling behind – especially when Siontas has relied on that relationship her whole life.  

 “Being a twin, I can’t imagine having to leave; especially because it’s just [Faye] and her sister – they did everything together for so long.” Witmer-Gautsch said.

Despite the hardships Siontas has faced while leaving behind her family and stepping into a completely new life, ]she has begun to find comfort in not only the American schooling system, but her life here as well. 

“Here, teachers are more connected to students,” Siontas said. “They are really focused on letting classmates get to know each other and themselves.”

Witmer-Gautsch said it was interesting to watch Siontas adapt both to school and home life in America. 

“She’s learning the way that Mason is from an outsider’s perspective,” Witmer-Gautsch said. “It’s cool to see her experience the more local things, and all the tiny traditions.” 

Siontas has gotten involved within the school in more than just classes. As of right now, she has joined an investment club, the Mason Inclusion Club, and plans to work at the Cosmic Cafe with Witmer-Gautsch once it opens on September 9. She says that she wants to get as involved as she possibly can in order to fully immerse herself in everything MHS has to offer. 

Siontas has agreed to live this adventure to the fullest, especially through the hard times. Even though she misses her family, she said she wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.

“Obviously I was nervous,” Siontas said. “But being nervous didn’t stop me from wanting to go through with this experience.” 

This atypical school year has required major adjustments in everyday life from both Siontas and Witmer-Gautsch, however the overall experience has forced them to approach life with a new perspective. 

“I made a bucket list of all the things she has to do while she’s here, and I almost feel like I’m doing more than I was before,” Witmer-Gautsch said, “I’m doing it all with her.”