Williamsburg Choral Music
Exchange Students Add International Flair To Choirs
Tariq Alshahrouri
Amman, Jordan
Tariq is a sophomore at Williamsburg High School and his host parents are Chance and Stacia Koppenhafer. He wanted to become an exchange student so he could teach others about his country, and learn about other cultures.
He is active in cross country, soccer, is a cast member in the upcoming Fall production of "Once Upon a Mattress", and is a member of Sound Attraction. In his native country of Jordan, Tariq is also active in track, soccer and sings in the school choir. Their choir once sang for Princess Reem-Al-ali, the daughter of the late King Hussein. "Choir back home was the same," he notes, "but here it's more developed, with more sound levels which makes the choir more interesting."
Tariq said he had little choice in the classes he took in Jordan, and the day was broken into eight periods, but school life was much the same as it is in the United States, where both boys and girls attend the same classes. He enjoys telling people about his native country. Tariq does miss the food of his homeland, however.
Tariq hopes to enter some field of science, possibly becoming a chemist, when he graduates.