These regular high school students are more culturally diverse than one may think. All the way from Germany and Spain.
Students Annabell Hoffmann and Lasse Brucksche are in America from Germany. Hoffmann is originally from Rein and Fauci, in the south-west of Germany. Guillermo Pezzi Arroyo is originally from Spain.
Hoffmann thinks of the school as an average American school that can be seen on television.
“It’s so cool here,” Hoffmann said. “It looks [like] when you watch a movie. [It’s] just [like] an American high school in the movie(s).”
Arroyo believes the American high school and way of life is better here than his home country. This belief made a strong impact on himself and Brucksche.
“It’s pretty great, very big, and has many differences from them,” Bruchsche said.
“In my opinion, the type of life that you have here for a boy [like] me, of my age, is better [than] in Spain because [of] all the things that you do here, to the life of the school,” Arroyo said. “They go to this football game on Friday, go on Saturdays with your friends out, instead of just, in Spain, the only thing that I do is just go to the school, and later go to my friends out, and don’t do anything. Just go to a restaurant all the time, or do the same thing always. And it’s very boring here. I prefer to stay here.”
Both Arroyo and Bruchsche mention how their school life is different here in America. Arroyo even claims the school here is more dynamic than his school back in Spain.
“In Spain, high school is more [like] staying in a class the whole day,” Arroyo said. “You don’t have your locker, you can’t go out of this class. If you go out, they give you detention. The schools are not too big in Spain, and you don’t change classes. Here is different because you have five minutes between each class, and you can walk, see your friends, you can talk to friends in these five minutes and later go to your class. It’s more dynamic. Also, the school here has one school per town. In Spain, you have a big city of 200,000 people, more or less, with a lot of schools, big schools, I mean the half of this, big for me in Spain.”
“It’s way different here,” Bruchsche said. ”It’s very welcoming, really nice, really friendly. Just made really good friends here.”
One of the main differences between America and their home countries is their way of sports and clubs. In Spain, soccer is referred to as football, but Arroyo uses American terminology when talking about the sports. In Spain, football is called “American football” (Fútbol americano), and just “football” (fútbol) to refer to soccer.
“In Spain, if you play in high school, it means you don’t have the level to play in the region that you play,” Arroyo said. “So, you play versus your own city. It’s really nice, the atmosphere in the stadium, because all the students go to see the games, the band. We don’t have that. In Spain, the schools are not too big. And one day I will go to one BG game, the band in Spain, we don’t have a band. In BG, they have 15 people. It’s a very bad school life in Spain, you’re so much better. I play soccer in the spring season, or autumn season. Last season, I played soccer. Now I’m going to play basketball if I make the team. I’m not sure if I’m going to make it. And the basketball level here it’s not better, it’s just, different mentality. Maybe I will try baseball, but I’m not sure yet.”
Brucksche also does sports for the school including football and track. Arroyo believes the food in America is not as good as his food back home.
“There is one thing that I don’t [like] here more than in Spain,” Arroyo said. “The food here is very, to say, fast food. You only have fast food here, but it’s cheap here. In my opinion, Spanish food is so much better. That’s the only thing that I prefer from Spain. Just say that the food is better. I need to say that it is so much better.”
Brucksche on the other hand believes the food here is enjoyable.
“The food, American food, is more specific. In Germany, we eat more culture from agriculture, but I really enjoy the food here.”
Arroyo is excited for winter time, hoping to see some snow here: something that doesn’t usually happen in his city back in Spain.
“In my country, we have snow, but in my city we don’t have snow,” Arroyo said. “I saw photos my host father showed me. Other years with other kids that have a lot of snow here is very nice, because I love to go skiing in the winter with my family and one group that I go with. It’s really nice. Skiing is my favorite sport, so I love snow, I love the cold, so I think I need to be here in winter. In Spain, we don’t have that in my city.”
Hosts Sandra Mitchell and Jessica Patton both bring insight on how they feel as hosts, and what good it can do. Mitchell hosted Hoffmann, and Patton is hosting Arroyo and Brucksche.
“It’s been rewarding to see our students engage with different perspectives, and we hope to continue supporting exchange opportunities,” Mitchell said.
“I think that they are hopefully having a positive experience here at Altoona, and learning the language, and becoming more familiar with American culture. I would love to do it as often as any student would like to come,” Patton said. “Really, I would encourage our students to study in other countries, if that’s possible for them. I would love to host more, should the opportunity arise.”
Exchange programs help foster understanding of different cultures, people and more.
“Exchange programs bring tremendous benefits, fostering mutual understanding and enriching our school community,” Mitchell said. “The last five years, the administration has allowed us to offer the opportunity to host a student and also travel to Germany as part of the Friendship Connection program. Hoffmann’s visit took place outside the regular time frame, usually around Easter, due to personal scheduling conflicts.”
Although Arroyo has enjoyed his time in America, he misses aspects of home.
“I miss my family in Spain,” Arroyo said. “ I think it’s normal, because one year without seeing them. I still try to have fun here all the time.”
Hoffmann’s last day in school was Oct. 31, while Arroyo and Brucksche will be staying for the whole year.
“I don’t want to go home because, when I go home, I have many exams and tests. It’s so cool here,” Hoffmann said..
Mitchell talks about how it’s new to not have Hoffmann around anymore.
“Having Annabell around has been enjoyable,” Mitchell said. “After she left on Saturday, my husband mentioned that it feels [like] something is missing at home. Annabell fit perfectly into our family.”
Mitchell feels the experience has been not only beneficial, but also her way of giving back.
“It’s been a wonderful experience,” Mitchell said. “Hosting a foreign exchange student brings new energy and allows our students to learn about German culture firsthand. Hosting a foreign exchange student is my way to give back after having similar experiences as a teenager.”
Patton feels it’s nice to get to know exchange students well, and she enjoys hearing from them even after they are gone.
