Freshman year can be scary. Going to a different, bigger school and finding your way around can be a challenge. But for the Tilley twins, they have more to be nervous for than just finding their way around. Transitioning from living in Australia, to Fiji, to Africa, to Brazil, to America is quite nerve-wracking. This is the Tilley twins’ reality.

Ethan and Nicholas Tilley are freshmen and are new to FHC. Last year, they attended City Middle. They have moved a total of five times throughout their childhood– each move was to a new country. Fortunately, through all their moves, they did not have many difficulties with language barriers.

“There are some English speakers everywhere,” Ethan said. “We would only go to IV schools, so their international language is English.”

Ethan and Nicholas’ reason for moving was their dad’s change in jobs. He worked for Nestle and now is working for Amway. The family is planning on staying here until the twins graduate high school. However, the twins admitted that they would have loved to live in Brazil longer.

“Everything’s so close together and warm, and everyone is a bit friendlier and open to more new people,” Ethan said, “as opposed to here, they are a little bit more [close] with their friend groups and their food.

Along with travels is a difference in foods; the twins enjoy an Australian spread: Vegemite.

“[Vegemite] is a thing you spread on toast in the morning; it is very salty,” Nicholas said.

There is a lot of adjusting when encountering such drastic changes in the different settings of Australia to America. Naturally, moving often can be hard. Finding new friends when you are moving every few years can be a challenge. Thanks to this, Ethan and Nicholas have become each other’s friends– they will always have each other.

“Nick and I get along– and with our sister sometimes,” Ethan said.

Moving so much and not feeling like you have a place to always call home was a difficulty for the Tilleys. But the twins feel they would never change this experience for a normal childhood. Becoming a part of different cultures, experiencing different climates, and a meeting different, diverse people is a great way to grow.

“It was a good experience trying new things, but [I wished we would have stayed] maybe a little bit longer in Brazil,” Ethan said.