Local Student thankful for study abroad experience

Marissa Nilsen learned that 11 months in Europe is beyond a study abroad, not a vacation, rather a huge undertaking with hoops to jump through and language barriers to overcome, making for a Rotary exchange program that thickened her skin, expanded her linguistic skills and furthered her appreciation for home.

The 17-year-old high school student wouldn't rewind and change any experiences from her time in Belgium. She found an untapped love for trains, along with Belgian fries that are deep-fried twice. Nilsen became fluent in French after only understanding the word bonjour at first. She gaine...