Thirty hours of travel, or 9,903 miles — the distance between Maputo, Mozambique and Neenah, Wis.  

Everyone dreams of traveling abroad or discovering new cultures, yet only some are able to achieve this goal. Vania Mahoque a junior at NHS this year, is excited to dive into her own version of “The American Dream.”  

“I have dreamed of visiting America since I was 5 years old,” Mahoque said.

To help Mahoque accomplish her American excursion, she will be staying with the loving Zwasca family.

Mahoque’s main purpose for visiting America is to strengthen her ever-growing wealth of knowledge. She desires to enhance her learning experience by studying to become an architect and an interior designer.

During her spare time, Mahoque likes to study hard, while challenging herself to learn something new. For example, as a polylingist, she is able to communicate with individuals with ease. 

“I can speak Portuguese, English, and a local native tongue. I also know a little French and Spanish too.”

In additional to these five languages, she desires to learn Italian. Back home in Mozambique, Mahoque regularly competes in writing competitions, and she also writes for her school’s newspaper.  

When Mahoque is not hitting the books, she strives to be a typical American teen. After throwing on a pair of jeans and a casual top, she adventures out to have some fun.

Her favorite American pop singers are The Weekend and Lana del Rey. Mahoque does not usually watch TV, but she will occasionally watch The Goldbergs, which is her host family’s favorite show.

On one of her first days in Wisconsin, the Zwasca family introduced her to pepperoni pizza, which is now her favorite American food.

As the year proceeds, Mahoque is excited to get involved at NHS. She had a blast at homecoming with her friends and is looking forward to many more adventures events.