Luke Horst - What life seems to be like on this side of the pond

Imagine packing up and leaving everything behind, taking your established life in a place you’ve lived your entire life and saying good bye.

Meet Carlmont junior, Luke Horst.  Aug. 11 of this past summer, he left his home of Egham, England and moved to San Carlos. Horst moved from England to come live with his dad in California. “The most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do. Left all my friends and my old way of life.”

Coming from Egham to San Carlos is a massive change in itself. Both are located on a commuter belts to larger cities, London and San Francisco respectively, but that’s where the similarities stop.

Egham is a small English village, about a quarter of the size of San Carlos with a main street and a few residential areas. Horst described it as, “A quiet place with lots of places to eat. Having a college right next to Egham attracts a lot of teenagers to the area.” One huge difference is the Bay Area climate, which Horst gave high praise, “I appreciate this good warm weather after living in a miserable damp climate 24/7.”

Horst listed off the general adjustments that he’s had to make in his short time in America, “What people do for fun here, the massively different food, and the fact that people drive on the wrong side of the road.”

Perhaps the biggest adjustment Horst has had to make is acclimating to the bustling academic life that comes with being a junior in an American high school. Horst is enrolled in everything mandatory for a junior plus biotech and a online Modern European history class.  

Being thrown right into the storm that is junior year, Horst has had to adjust to the tolling workload, “The schoolwork here is four times what I did in England, but here its absolutely essential to graduate. In England, you can get away with passing the one and only exam at the end of the year.”

Horst had been to two schools through his high school period back in England, one private and one public, and both required uniforms.

“The private school was very strict, but the state school I attended was much more relaxed and work could be done without struggle,” said Horst.

Socially, Horst has also had an adjustment. “I had a real life over there, so its really hard to leave that and have to start from scratch,” he said.

Although he does feel like he has become close friends with a few people, overall he feels like he is not fully settled yet. Horst said that for the most part teenagers in America are easier to get along with and generally more laid back.

When asked what Horst did for fun in his old home, “Partying is up there, people like to have a good time, but generally just hanging out and having a good time with friends.”

In coming to America, Horst also had to abandon his spot in the Aldershot Town Football Club’s youth academy. “I had a spot in the academy. We would play prestigious teams such as Arsenal, and travel as far as places such as the Netherlands and Spain.”

Horst was also an avid supporter of the London based club, Tottenham Hotspur. “I still follow Tottenham here in the United States, but I’ve also started to watch a bit of American football.”

Horst explained that his new found allegiance lie with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, “mostly because they have England in their name.”

Horst also explained his interest in playing soccer for the men’s soccer team here at Carlmont, and has attended numerous off-season workouts.

“So far things in America and Carlmont have been unpredictable, but I’m looking forward to staying the course and growing as a person in my new home.”

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