Bio: Escobar, Anna – Exchange Student (1977)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Escobar, Potocnik

---------Source: Owen Enterprise (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 02 Feb 1977

Anna Gloria Valla Escobar, age 18, from El Salvador is now in the Owen area as an exchange student with the International Fellowship and is staying in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Potocnik.

Daughter of Maria Valla Menoi Escobar, a representative of an auto company in El Salvador, Anna Gloria is a senior and will spend the next six months in our community, attending the Owen-Withee High School.

Two other members of her family have previously been exchange students in the United States. In 1972 her sister lived in Syracuse, New York, and then in 1974 another sister lived in Walton, New York. She has five sisters, the oldest being 28, and two brothers.

She spends time gardening and paining.

Her people in El Salvador are called Salvadorena and speak Spanish. She is Catholic, although there are Mormons and Protestants in the community.

Her country is very hot and people must use air conditioners to cool their home. The people raise fruits, coffee, oranges, rice, bananas and pineapples. Her father once owned much land, but in 1976 the government, in an effort to have more of the population work the land, asked her father to sell some of his land to the poor farmers.

Janice Potocnik, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Potocnik, is now studying a home study Spanish course, and Anna Gloria will be on hand to help her with the course.

In the future, upon graduation, Anna Gloria plans to study engineering for five years in a Catholic University.

We bid Anna Gloria welcome to our community and to our school and hope that she will not only enjoy her stay, but will learn much about our country and community.