Impressions - Eindrücke

The M. were a wonderful family to stay with. They were very friendly and accommodating. They were always willing to help me with my German, feed me, or drive me to where I needed to be. Frau M. helped me develop my German skills more than anyone. During each meal she would only speak German to me, but slow enough so that I understood. Living with them was very enjoyable.

Impressions at school

I must say that Christoph Scheiner was very different than Marquette High. First of all, it took a few days to get used to having girls in my classes. (this however, was not a bad thing!) I found it very interesting how the students rotate classes throughout the week. That makes each day a bit different. My favorite class and teacher was English with Herr Eichiner (don't know how to spell it). Er war sehr lustig und interessant. Math class with Herr Schmidt was another enjoyable class. The students were all very nice to us, and I had a wonderful time hanging out with them.

Living in Ingolstadt and Germany

There were many customs in Germany that I wish carried over to the US. I really liked how the center of die Stadt is closed off to traffic. Its really good how everyone recycles their glass bottles, drives more fuel-efficient cars, and doesn't create as much trash.
The countryside where I lived was gorgeous, and the food was amazing. The World Cup was an experience of a lifetime, and I plan on coming to Germany for it in 2006. When I came to Germany, I hated soccer, but now, ICH LIEBE FUSSBALL!

Personal Comments or Criticism

I had an amazing time in Germany. It was educational, fun, and very interesting. My only real criticism would be that I wish we had known what we would do each day a bit earlier. We had a schedule, but many times we would get to school and find out there what we were doing that day. That made it a bit difficult for our house parent who had to pick us up. Other than that, everything went wonderfully. Thank you very much.

Toi Toi Toi von Amerika!!!

This is the requested response to the 4 things outlined in the letter from Doctor Kreilein and Mr. Kundmüller:

1) Family Experience

Throughout my stay in Germany I was fortunate to be placed with a family that fit with me very well. The Family I stayed with was warm, receptive, and kind. They were sure to always ask me if I needed anything and in doing so stayed very conscious of my wants.
They made an effort to ensure that I was comfortable, got me to try new things like Weisswurst, and encouraged my exposure to German culture. Whenever I was in the home they were happy to see me. The Mom always talked to me, the Dad was always cheerful, the sister made an effort to talk to me, and the host student made an effort to hang out with me. Overall the family experience was enjoyable and I would love to do it again.

2) Impressions of School

School was very interesting and I was able to make striking comparisons between the German School System and the American one. All the students in the school seemed very excited to talk with us, to try out their English and to test our German. All the teachers would introduce themselves and make an effort to talk to us and seemed to enjoy having us in their classrooms. Often times the classes were challenging because it was difficult to understand all the German but most of the time I was able to understand what was going on. I enjoyed the lighter atmosphere of the school and the fact that dismissal was at 1 o’ clock, which allowed us to still enjoy parts of the city even after attending school. The sport classes were my favorite however, because it gave us an opportunity for release as well to relax and meet some of the German students.

3) Living in Germany

Overall the experience of living in a foreign country was enjoyable. I enjoyed experiencing new things like the food, culture, and the people. Being able to see a different part of the world really broadened my horizons and I think I was able to grow as a person. I like living in Ingolstadt because it was easy to get around, public transportation was excellent, and there were plenty of things to do. In the other parts of Germany this was no different, the abundance of activities and the ease with which one could navigate them mad it a truly wonderful experience.

4) Personal Comment or Criticism

I was very impressed at the way the exchange was run. The one suggestion I would make would be to have better communication with the families because at times it seemed like no one knew what was going on, something that could possibly be a undesirably snobbish. Other than that I thought the trip was well organized, the Germans were receptive, kind, and helpful, and that the trip was a rewarding experience.

Sincerely
C. M.


MUHS-Gruppe mit Sy Kreilein im Schulhof		Annika und Charles im „GAPP-Zweikampf“