The German Exchange program, renowned as an opportunity for students to both explore another culture and practice the language in an immersive environment, came to a close on November 6, the same day the term ended. German students arrived from Radolfzell, Germany on October 17 and stayed in Wellesley for a total of twenty days. Wellesley students will partake in a similar trip to Germany during the summer.
While in Wellesley, the German students lived with the families of Wellesley students. Wellesley student Blake Foster ’17, currently enrolled in German 4, was one such student. According to Foster, it is imperative that Wellesley students encounter cultures other than their own:
“For the majority of WHS students we come from the ‘bubble’ that is Wellesley Mass. The real world isn’t like the small, wealthy, protected, suburban town that we grow up in, and the German Exchange allows students to experience life styles that are completely foreign to our own,” Foster said.
Another such student was Abby Yuan ’17, who created numerous fond memories with her exchange partner over the duration of the program.
“Recently, my exchange student and I went paintballing with some friends and it was definitely my favorite moment of the exchange so far,” she said. “Having a lot of Germans and Americans together in a new experience for all of us was really fun and helped bond our entire group.”
Yuan also stressed the importance of providing a program that allows students to live in different cultures, a recurring theme in the praise of the program.
“Studying diverse cultures helps bring awareness and understanding to a lot of current events happening in the world. In addition, experiencing other cultures broadens our knowledge of the world and brings an important change in perspective.
(Alex Doe ’16, News Editor)