12/16/22
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
Hugo Janssen knows more about the NBA than some of his Alma classmates. His favorite player is Kobe Bryant. Janssen follows Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets, too.
The Denmark foreign exchange student bounces down intermittent hallways throughout Alma High School, weaving from one classroom to another, each day with a smile on his face - neatly pressed jeans and white sneakers.
"I've learned to be more independent," Janssen said. "I feel like I have more freedom over here."
Janssen said he first considered becoming a foreign exchange student about a year ago. Before returning to Vibenshus Skole High School in Copenhagen, he’ll spend his junior year at Alma High School.
"I thought, 'What do I want to do after this year?' In Denmark, we have to move on to high school after the 10th grade, or we can do something else for a year,” Janssen explained. “I thought about exploring the world and seeing a different continent. I decided to go to America."
Janssen is one of 14 foreign exchange students enrolled at Alma High School.
What he quickly discovered about America, among other things, he said, is the unique differences between each state. (Most American foods have extra calories, too, he would discover).
"I was in New York for three days before I came here, and I noticed almost every state is almost like its own state,” Janssen said. "I didn't expect the states to be this different.
“I thought they would be more the same."
Following in the footsteps of his favorite NBA players, Janssen reached out to Alma boys basketball coach Dominic Lincoln. And, like the differences between New York and Arkansas, he found the American form of basketball is much better than what he was accustomed to.
"I've learned how to play basketball much better," Janssen said. "I've learned how to work as a team. I really like coach Lincoln. I had a coach in Denmark ... he was from America, too. (But) he wasn't like coach Lincoln. I can feel that coach Lincoln cares a lot more about the team and how they train than they did back in Denmark."
“Honestly, this is my first experience with foreign exchange students,” Lincoln said. “It’s amazing. I already love it. I think it’s cool that we have such a large percentage of kids that come over here and get that opportunity, and Hugo’s one of them.
“He reached out to join the basketball team, and obviously I said sure. You want to give kids like that the ultimate experience of being over here and let them be involved in everything that they can.”
‘The kids love him’
Janssen can partake in most school activities. But, even though he was issued a jersey and has a locker of his own, the junior is unable to participate in senior high games.
“He won’t be able to play in varsity games because of eligibility, but we’re going to get him in some JV (junior varsity) games,” Lincoln said. “We’re excited to get him out there. The kids love him and cheer for him.”
His go-to teammates are Matthew Rodgers and Chris Salazar.
“Even the small things we have in common, there are a lot of differences,” Rodgers said. “It’s cool to see what he brings here that we don’t have in Denmark. He’s a unique and interesting person.”
Salazar concurred.
“He’s super friendly and I love talking to him,” he said. “I love saying hi to him in the hallway.”
Because of his class schedule, Janssen isn’t able to report to basketball practice until after seventh period (3:25) - about 45 minutes after his teammates have suited up for practice.
“I feel like it’s harder for him because he has to go to class and then go to practice,” teammate Camden Curd said. “He works really hard. I thought that was really cool, even though he can’t play with the varsity, he’s still in the gym getting shots.
“He’s made incredible progress since he’s gotten here.”
“He comes in every day after school and practices his butt off,” Lincoln said. “He stays about an hour extra after everybody else (leaves). He just puts his headphones on and gets his own personal workout.”
Denmark, Janssen explained, plays by far different rules when it comes to high school athletics.
"It's funny how every high school in America has a team," he said. "That's not common in Europe. You pay money to join a club in Europe. High schools don't have teams. I played soccer in Denmark, too.
“I may join the (Alma) soccer team after basketball.”
Different cultures
Later this month, families will gather around the Christmas tree; fireplaces ablaze, and memories being made.
An only child (“it’s very uncommon to have three or more kids in Denmark”), Janssen will spend his first Christmas away from his parents, Sune Faurschou and Hester Janssen.
"I miss them, but I try not to have too much contact with them," he said. "I feel like if I talk to them too much, that makes me miss them even more. I try not to talk too much to them."
Christmas celebrations differ as well.
"It's a big deal but it's a little different," Janssen said. "We do it on Christmas Day; that's the big day. It's almost the same, but we eat differently. We eat duck and we dance around the Christmas tree."
There are different foods in general as well.
The No. 1 food in an open sandwich is called the Smørrebrød, Janssen said.
Getting used to Arkansas food has taken some time.
“In my host family, we eat a lot of Mexican takeaway, which I find very good, but I have realized that all of the food in America has more calories in it and more fat in it. Most of the time I don't mind the extra fat or calories (I would prefer to have less fat), but sometimes it is just too much for me.”