![Game, set, and match. Corbin Atchley, sophomore, high fives Sanam Sidhu, freshman, after a rally with other club members. “I just joined [the club],” Sidhu said. “[I heard about it] on Instagram, they always post about it, I’ve been wanting to come. My parents used to play [net sports] too and they taught us, and then I learned from my brother.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MG_7715-2-1200x800.jpg)
![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
![The teams prepare to start another play with just a few minutes left in the first half. The Lions were in the lead at halftime with a score of 27-0. At half time, the team went back to the locker rooms. “[We ate] orange slices,” Malos said. “[Then] our team came out and got the win.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2385-1200x800.jpg)
A group of West Linn students were given a look into a place they rarely see: Pakistan. This came courtesy of Faisal Irfan, a Pakistani exchange student who gave a presentation Tuesday, Nov 14 about his home country. The 15 year old would have been a sophomore if he was still attending high school in his homeland of Lahore, but here he is a junior. Since arriving in August, Irfan is staying with a host family while he attends West Linn High School. He will return home upon completion of the school year.
The biggest change from Pakistan to America for Irfan was the food. He described normal food from his home. It is unique, a stark contrast to American food. Food was one of multiple cultural differences Irfan listed that offered somewhat of a challenge as he moved continents.
Schools were a discussion point often broached in Irfan’s presentation. Classes such as Website Design are not offered as courses to be taken. Rather, they are offered as extracurricular activities while school hours are filled with core curriculum, such as science and math.
Irfan is part of International Education Week, a joint initiative of both the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. According to its website, International Education Week is part of efforts from the departments to “promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.” Irfan’s speech covered a multitude of subjects, such as sports and music. After he completed his presentation, he fielded questions from students.
“I wanted to tell {the students} more about Pakistan,” Irfan said. “I wanted to give them everything they don’t get to know.”