The distance — approximately 5,758 miles — Georgian student Tatia Bitsadze traveled to take classes not available in her country.

Bitsadze, a dark-haired, Georgian girl who found a love for Wisconsin cheese curds and Khachapuri (Georgian cheese bread), has a mission to experience being a high schooler and getting involved in school clubs; however, Bitsadze’s mind is set on one main goal: to teach Americans more about Georgia.

“Every time I tell them I’m from Georgia, they ask: ‘the state?’”

By studying abroad, she can easily educate other Americans about her country.

Furthermore, young Bitsadze has two main reasons she is learning English: to one day attend college in the United States and to teach Georgian kids English when she travels back home. Although they teach English in Georgia, surrounding herself with English on the daily will help Bitsadze be the speaker of which she dreams.

The idea of moving to an unfamiliar location is thrilling to many, including to Bitsadze, but she also describes it as challenging.

“It’s hard, because I’m foreign and they think differently. Some don’t understand what I mean.”

Even with this challenge, Bitsadze manages to grow. With a clear, soft-accented voice, Bitsadze’s English is nearly perfect and easy to comprehend; however, it does not make her journey any easier.

Georgia and the United States are like day and night; they have little in common.

Take school for example, in Georgia, the teachers concentrate on the knowledge of the students, which includes Georgian students taking more notes and completing more work. They only do activities once in a blue moon where in Neenah, classes complete activities almost on the daily.

Although being brand new to a culture has its bumps in the road, the people here make Bitsadze’s experience a positive one.

“The people here are so kind. In the street, everyone is smiling at you.”

Bitsadze explains the one thing she had to get used to with Americans is everyone plans, where in Georgia, you go with the flow.

Besides Bitsadze’s love for the American people, she also has grown a love for Lake Winnebago.

“It’s pretty and a good experience. It was the first activity I did with my host family in the U.S., that’s why it’s important to me.”

Moving forward from experiences in the United States., Bitsadze’s favorite place in Georgia are the mountain resorts. Bitsadze claims skiers can climb on the snowy, mountain tops and ski; however, when skiing to the ocean at the bottom of the slopes, participants can go swimming in the ocean. Georgia has multiple climates, which is a feature that cannot be copied anywhere else. 

At the end of the day to quiet, English-passionate Bitsadze, the 5,758 miles holds much potential for learning and new experiences.

Passion is power, and Bitsadze is one powerful, human being.