This fall, students and their families hosted 20 exchange students and two teachers from St. Ursula Gymnasium, an all girls high school located in Freiburg, Germany. The girls stayed in Madison for two weeks, from October 13 to 29. While in Madison, they shadowed their host student at school, took a day trip to Boston, and went on a highly anticipated trip to the Clinton Outlets. Following their stay in Madison, the girls spent three nights in New York.
The program was organized by Mr. Glasser, a social studies teacher here at Hand. He got the idea to set up an exchange program with this particular school from Ms. Marino, Mr. Salutari’s secretary, who has a cousin working at St. Ursula’s Gymnasium.
Mr. Glasser said that after this experience, he wants Madison students to realize “the world is ever so larger than their tiny Madison cell phone environment,” and he hopes that the German students “have a good experience [and] bond with [their] host sisters.” He also hopes that “America can offer a little positive public relations through the program.”
The overall goal of the program was to share cultures and establish lifelong friendships. The German students got to experience all things American, from shopping to Homecoming and football games.
According to Lynn Armbruster, one of the 20 exchange students, the most shocking difference between Germany and America is “that everything is so big … You have all these big houses and everything like this is such a big distance … Our houses are close together, like on a row … most of them are much smaller.”
This upcoming July, any Hand student who hosted a German student will get the chance to travel to Germany. Students will stay with the family of the girl they hosted in Freiburg and have an amazing opportunity to experience German culture.
Feeling left out on all the exchange program fun? Don’t worry! Hand will be participating in an exchange with St. Ursula’s Gymnasium again next fall. If you are interested in hosting an exchange student next year or want to know more information about hosting, see Mr. Glasser (Rm. 321).
