The honor of traveling overseas to a foreign country only comes to some. People dream of visiting a place unknown to them sometime in their life. For eighteen students every year at the Herzog-Ernst Gymnasium, this becomes a reality. They are carefully chosen to spend three glorious weeks in America, an opportunity they only receive once.
The application to come to America was simple. They had to express interest and fill out an information sheet with a few simple questions. Students are selected based mainly on their behavior and English skills. Accompanying them would be two chaperones from the HEG.
By staying with host families and not in a hotel, students are able to experience American culture first hand. They see what a normal family is like. This includes daily schedules, meals, and other activities the family members participate in. Students become one with their family and often participate in their activities like a member of the actual family.
Students that come over to America hope to learn a number of things. They hope to improve their English and see what the American culture is like. Others want to meet new friends, and sometimes these friendships can last a lifetime. These experiences carry throughout their lifetime and will forever be in their memory, as many past GAPP participants agree.
Not every host-to-student match is perfect. Many German students are scared that their host family will not like them. Or they are nervous that they can’t communicate with their host family efficiently due to language barriers. The plane ride is also a common concern. However, the students are also excited for their experience to come America. They simply want to see the cities and experience all that they can. Many look forward to their trips, such as the one to Chicago. Others anticipate meeting new people and living a new way of life for a short amount of time.
Each student’s visit is unique to them. Some students enjoy going to sporting events, such as soccer and football. Others enjoy their Saturday trip to the St. Louis Arch. For a few students, going to Six Flags with their host family or American friends was most memorable to them. Each student holds a moment dear to them, whether it be small or large, that they will forever recall as their favorite.
At first students miss their families greatly. Some get homesick throughout the trip, while others adjust easily to the new lifestyle. A few miss their pets or even their friends that were not able to join them on the voyage. However, when they leave, collectively they will miss one thing, the people. Students dread the day of leaving, for they will miss their host family and all of the people they were able to meet during their three weeks in Jacksonville.