A group of Austrian teenagers attended classes at Palo Alto High School on Monday and will return on Friday as part of their tour itinerary.

More than 60 Austrian exchange students arrived last Wednesday and will be staying at the homes of Paly and Henry M. Gunn High School students for two weeks. According to Sebastian Locker, a Viennese student, they will attend a local school for two days, visit sites in and around San Francisco and finally, spend weekends with their host families.

The program is run by Edu-Culture International (ECI), which advertised to potential host students in world language classes. Senior Lexie De Stefano heard about the opportunity in her French class.

“I really wanted to go on an exchange but my parents told me I couldn’t, so I’m like, ‘Okay, I want to bring an exchange student here,’ and they agreed,” De Stefano said.

Sophomore Helen Cane has already been exposed to different cultures in her experience hosting an Austrian student.

“In Austria, people on the street don’t stop and talk to each other,” she said. “They think that’s very superficial. At the grocery store [in the United States] I talk to the clerk and at restaurants we talk to the waiters.”

Locker has also noticed differences between his hometown and Palo Alto.

“Paly is way bigger and it’s very beautiful, because the neighborhood is nice and there are all those big houses,” he said.

Paly students have expanded their social connections, even at home.

“I’ve met a lot of Americans that I wouldn’t normally be with because the Austrians have brought us together,” Cane said.