Foreign exchange student loves Blackwell, sports, and food

Coming to America from Denmark for Blackwell High School junior Oscar LaTrashe has been an eye-opening experience.

And no matter where one goes, it seems like some things just don’t change.

“I grew up playing American football,” LaTrashe said, speaking to his time this year as a BHS Maroon and a Blackwell High wrestler.

In Denmark, LaTrashe’s childhood sport is called “American football,” so as not to confuse it with European football, known as “American soccer.”

LaTrashe, a foreign exchange student, arrived in America at the end of the summer to live with his host, Stuart Bensch. Upon arriving, Oscar was welcomed to a world where a three-hour car ride was “just down the road” and not a day- or week-long excursion.

“I remember the first thing that really confused me was when I was told we were going to go to Oklahoma City, which is about an hour away,” LaTrashe said. “In Denmark, if your friends or family live an hour or two hours away, you would see them by train, and that could be a pretty long adventure.

“We went to Branson over the holidays. Such a journey would take a week by train, and you’d have to account for stops and the like. … Nope, not here. Here, Americans just go, ‘Oh, it’s only a few hours,’” he said with a laugh.

Of course, international travel has changed a bit since 2020 because of a little pandemic that shut down the globe.

“America is less strict about COVID,” LaTrashe said. “In Denmark, it is very tightly controlled and masked. Social distancing is still heavily enforced. Here, there is way less stress, and it feels good to be able to be a kid again.”

In Denmark, students don’t move between classrooms as much.

“You were in one room for a day, and your teacher came to you, so you didn’t get as much time roaming the halls and going from place to place,” he said. “Here, there’s a lot of moving around and getting to socialize. It’s a lot of fun.”

Politically, LaTrashe also pointed out that America – specifically Oklahoma – is far more conservative than the heavily liberal Denmark.

“There’s such a different culture here,” he said. “It’s so crazy to see, to be a part of. Everyone has been so nice and accommodating, and above that, they’ve been patient and curious. I’ve been able to talk to so many people about our cultures. It’s been so much fun. I really have loved Blackwell.”

LaTrashe said that, more than anything else, his favorite part of America has been the food.

“I’m crazy about cornbread,” he said with a laugh, “and I love barbecue, fried chicken, pickles, Chinese food, Mexican food – it’s all been so wonderful. In Denmark, it is mostly seafood, which I also love, but being landlocked here has meant a lot more variety for my palette.”

On his list of favorite spots? Los Potros, of course.