One conversation at the busy AHS office counter sounds a bit unusual.

A delicately beautiful blond in blue jeans and tank top is visiting with a dark-haired man.

The twosome prattle on amiably for a few minutes — obviously enjoying the exchange — as the man practices his German with Artesia High School’s ‘Swiss Miss.’

Although she could easily be mistaken for an All-American teenager, 16-year-old Lea Graf has only been in the U.S. a couple of months. She arrived in Albuquerque to start her adventure as an American Field Service exchange student on August 10.

During the drive down to Artesia, she remembers looking right and looking left to see a lot of brown, but more importantly, was really impressed with the big sky, "I could see the whole sky. You can’t see the whole sky in Switzerland."

Schwartzenburg, Switzerland, just outside the city of Bern, is her hometown. According to Lea, it’s very green in the summer and very white in the winter, but right now it should be raining a lot.

Her parents, Barbara and Daniel, are both teachers. "Teachers are not the same as in America," Lea explains. "There is a long study period and the pay is more like a doctor’s pay." Her father teaches at the college level and her mother teaches special education, although that it is not the term used in Switzerland. Her family also includes brother, Tobias, age 21 and sister, Rebekka who is 20.

Asked about the differences in school here and at home, she responds that it is very different, "When a child is 12, they make a big test where they are rated on their knowledge of many subjects. After the school speaks with the parents, the child is placed in one of three levels in grades seven through nine.

"The really smart kids who know everything are in the highest level and ones who need help are in the lowest." She says that she was in the middle level. Lea has finished our equivalent of high school in Switzerland; at AHS she is in the senior class.

"I like every course I’m taking here and I really like all my teachers. I have more trouble with English, but Miss Jackson is very helpful."

Students take English beginning in the seventh grade in her country, so she has a good foundation in the subject. Lea is multi-lingual, speaking her native Swiss German, German, French, English and is presently studying Spanish, which she finds easy to learn because of the similarity to French.

Her career ambitions lean toward the health field, perhaps becoming a nurse or even a doctor. Her higher education will continue when she returns to Switzerland next July. "My good friend is going to the French part of Switzerland to school, but still returns home to Schwarzenburg every evening. Students don’t stay (board) at college like they do here.

"...I will be one year behind and won’t be in the same class as my friend." But, Lea also says that she values her AFS experience as an exchange student and is happy she chose this path.

With her college plans on hold for now, she says, "Seniors here must search for a good college, I am not doing that now, so I have some free time." That free time is spent with new friends she has made, and at church. Lea is involved with the many youth activities provided at the First Baptist Church.

Activities for Lea at home in Schwartzburg included playing piano, guitar and snowboarding. She points out that the older people there ski and that she learned as a child, but that the younger people like to snowboard, "We go to Gstaad sometimes and to Grindelwald. My grandparents have a small house at Grindelwald, so we go there more."

As for sports at AHS, Lea plays volleyball, which she played at home, and is starting to play a sport with which she’s not well acquainted — basketball, "I’ve never played before. We started basketball practice last week, and we were jogging for a long time. But I love it!"

She also adores her host family, the Willliams, Herm, Mona and their daughter, Debra. "My family is so nice. When I saw them the first time, I said ‘Oh, there is my family and I am so happy.’"

Asked why she decided to get involved in this adventure so far from her home, Lea ponders a moment and recalls, "My family hosted an exchange student from North Carolina one time, and my cousin was also in the program."

Her parents are also currently in the United States. They are participating in a six-month long program in San Diego and Lea plans to see them on her Christmas break.

Lea is pretty, perky and pleasant. She loves Mexican food, especially tacos, thinks big pickles are gross, and has discovered she likes Hip-Hop and Rap since being here. She also believes American boys are more open, and funnier than the boys in Switzerland.

But unquestionably, Lea truly loves Artesia football and the cheerleaders, "We did not have that (football) at home, we don’t have the space to have big football fields.

"Artesia is a football town. I was so happy and impressed when I saw my first Artesia football game. I also like the orange colors and I like the Bulldog."