Germany Firsthand

Teri Black, Staff Writer

Being a part of Jacksonville School District 117 has its privileges, especially when it comes to foreign travel. The German-American Partnership Program, or more commonly known as GAPP, has been available to District 117 students for 31 years. The program gives students the option to travel to Germany for three weeks in the summer, see the sights, and stay with a host family for a genuine experience. I had the opportunity to speak with a student who went this summer, and he answered some common questions about the program as well as giving testimony of the activities that students do once they are over in Germany.

The flight, including the connections, is about eleven hours. For the student whom I interviewed, the flight, while long, was very smooth. Sleeping on the plane is very common; however, students have the option to watch movies on the back of the seat in front of them. The airline provides headphones if passengers do not have any. Upon first arriving in Germany, it “didn’t feel real until the next day.” That, of course, could be due to either the culture shock or the awful jet lag.

The first full day in Germany is spent sitting in on classes at the Uelzen high school, our partner town. Classes in this high school last from 8:00 in the morning to 1:45 in the afternoon, and the American students sit in for the entire day. The teens in Germany seem to have less pressure on them, or at least that is what one student observed.

Staying with a host family is one of the best experiences on the trip. For the first few days, it is a bit strange, but once students get settled in, they feel like part of the family. The houses are a bit different than in America: many are three-story homes with lots of skylights on the upper level. Stairs seem steeper, but maybe that is just because the student I interviewed fell down them while trying to bring his bag to his room.

There are differences between the American lifestyle and the German lifestyle, but they are not drastic. Some “major” differences are that the Germans are much more conservative with their resources. For instance, there are shorter showers, Germans recycle more, and there are fewer cars. Many people either ride bikes or walk to where they want to go, or if the destination is farther away, they ride the train. “We have more in common than we realize,” this student said.

The American students do not stay in one town the whole time. Some of the destinations they go to are Hamburg, Celle, Luneberg, and of course, Berlin. People do not heckle tourists like they do in the States, and there is never a feeling of being unsafe. On their travels, students will meet many interesting people, and perhaps even a doppelgänger.

Overall, it was amazing according to my student. While it is different, it is also incredibly fun. Some of the things students do and the pace at which they go can get exhausting, but the memories and new friends are definitely worth it.