In 2001, former Altoona mayor, Tom Martin, joined Altoona forces with Sankt Pölten, Austria, to become part of the Sister City Program. In 2020, COVID-19 hit and the program was put on pause. Recently, Mayor Matt Pacifico welcomed Pirmin Rauscher, the first student to be invited back in five years, into the heart of Altoona.
“[The Sister City Program] is an international program, and pairs cities with other cities all across the world,” Pacifico said.
Rauscher got involved with the Sister City Program when teachers in his school told students about a competition they could participate in.
“They do it lots of times, they [teachers] come and put it [paper information] on our classroom door,” Rauscher said. “I thought it was pretty cool. I love speaking in front of people, so I wrote an email and said that I wanted to participate.”
In order to be chosen, he had to go through an audition process. On the day of the audition, he almost didn’t go.
“On the day [of the audition], we had a trip with my schoolmates and we were not at school,” Rauscher said. “I was like, ‘forget about it, choose another person for the audition.’ It’s not like I felt that I was not able to win… I thought about it and why shouldn’t I not take that chance?”
Rauscher went home early from the trip to participate.
“I was the last guy they had,” Rauscher said. “They had to wait on me for about 30 minutes just to come up, and then I had my presentation about my future. They told me ‘you have won.’”
Following his first audition, he had a second one with students from other schools. Sankt Pölten has Sister Cities in: Czech Republic, France, Germany, Japan and the United States.
“If you got first there [the second audition] you were allowed to choose your country or city first,” Rauscher said. “I got first and picked Altoona.”
Mayor Pacifico and committee members have been planning for Rauscher’s visit for months.
“We are using this [Rauscher’s trip] as a trial run for the larger group that is going to be coming over here next year for the 25th anniversary between our Sister City partnership with Sankt Pölten,” Mayor Pacifico said.
Twenty-five students, as well as selected adults, will be making a similar journey as Rauscher did to the United States from Sankt Pölten.
Mayor Pacifico had a positive first impression of Rauscher.
“He was just a likeable kid,” Mayor Pacifico said. “He reminded me of my own son. He’s cool to hang out with and very laid back.”
Bonnie DeLozier is Mayor Pacifico’s Legislative Aide and also met Rauscher when they picked him up at the airport on Oct. 18. Upon arriving at the airport, they learned that Rauscher’s luggage was lost by the airlines.
“He [Rauscher] was in Customs and baggage claims for over two hours,” DeLozier said. “Trying to read English forms…his English is very good when speaking, but reading and writing is difficult. But he was so pleasant and that didn’t seem to rattle him at all.”
On his first day in Altoona, Rauscher got to experience Five Guys for the first time.
“He had his first ever milkshake there [Five Guys],” Mayor Pacifico said. “He didn’t even know what it was.”
While he is in the U.S., Rauscher is staying with German teacher Sandra Mitchell.
“Pirmin is polite, friendly and curious about everything,” Mitchell said. “He has a great sense of humor and has quickly become comfortable talking with our family. He’s eager to learn about American culture and enjoys sharing stories about life in Austria. He’s adjusting really well. Pirmin has embraced new foods, school routines and meeting new people. He’s especially interested in comparing how school and sports differ between Austria and here. It’s been fun watching him experience everyday things for the first time.”
Mitchell believes that to host an exchange student it takes “some planning and a willingness to be flexible.”
“We wanted to make sure Pirmin felt welcome from the start, so we prepared his room, learned a little about Austrian customs and planned a few activities to introduce him to our community,” Mitchell said. “It’s been a great experience opening our home and learning from him as well.”
On Sunday, Oct. 19, Rauscher and Mayor Pacifico went to Champs.
“I took him to watch some football and have some lunch,” Mayor Pacifico said. “He had ordered a Diet Pepsi. The server brought over a refill, sat it down in front of him and he looked at the glass, looked at me, and looked at the glass. He whispered, ‘I did not ask for that.’ I said, ‘You get free refills here in America.’ That is not a thing in Europe. He sat there taking pictures of the two cups sitting on the table at the same time.”
Rauscher feels he is adapting well to the United States.
“I feel like it is completely different compared to Europe or compared to Austria,” Rauscher said. “Normal things for you are completely different for me, so the whole daily life is the most interesting thing.”
School systems in the United States operate differently than in Austria.
“The whole class sticks together for the whole day,” Rauscher said. “We are one class for the whole five years. Teachers have to go to our classroom. Fifth year is considered our senior year, but we can leave school in ninth grade.”
Certain opportunities given to students in the Altoona district aren’t available in Rauscher’s home school in St. Pölten.
“I wish we had more [of a] chance,” Rauscher said. “The government is spreading the money out for everything. We don’t have the chance to build a school like this [Altoona] with a TV studio. We don’t have a swimming pool or something like that. The government does not spend a lot of money on students.”
Rauscher feels it would be “pretty cool” if the Austrian government would take more responsibility for students.
“They [students] are the future for the whole country,” Rauscher said.
Rauscher hopes his time in the U.S. will help him achieve his goals. When he graduates, Rauscher plans to go to school for business. If given the opportunity, Rauscher would want to visit the U.S. again.
“My English is hopefully getting better here, living this life and knowing how people live here will help me a lot,” Rauscher said. “I would choose it [U.S.] for a long[er] time. Maybe I will go to college for an exchange year in a few years.”
On Oct. 22, Rasucher, Mayor Pacifico and Dustin Smith from the Blair Historical Society went to some popular Altoona landmarks.
“He [Rauscher] toured the Horseshoe Curve, Baker Mansion, the Railroaders Museum and Fort Roberdeau,” Mayor Pacifico said.
During the week of Oct. 27, Rauscher and Mayor Pacifico will be taking a trip to Harrisburg, Pa to meet with Senator Judy Ward and Representative Lou Schmitt.
“[Senator Ward and Representative Schmitt] will meet with him when we get there,” Mayor Pacifico said. “At 1:00 p.m., when the Senate goes into session, Senator Ward is going to have us sit up in the gallery, and she’s going to introduce him from the floor.”
Rauscher has had many positive interactions with Americans.
“The people that are living here have to work so much,” Rauscher said. “You’re friendly. Although they have this stress, they are always kind and have a smile on their lips.”
During his trip, Rauscher has debunked some stereotypes he, as well as other Europeans, had about Americans.
“I have to say I’m positively surprised,” Rauscher said. “You hear a lot of critical stuff from the media in Europe, and there are a lot of especially older people who are grumpy about the U.S. I don’t know why. Now you get here and you experience how lovely everyone is. Now I’ll go home with the stereotype that there are a lot of friendly people here.”
