Translated:
-Tharandt:
An exchange student from the US will live in Kurort Hartha for a year. A snapshot in his new life.
By Susanne Sodan
Jack had to quickly throw away the picture of the cool, reserved German. "I hadn't expected everyone here to be so friendly", he said. A lot of it is still odd to me. "In den US people on the street mostly just greet other people they know. And here for example people say 'Guten Tag' when getting on an elevator". For one and a half weeks now the 18 year old exchange student is living with the Marusch family in Kurort Hartha. Jack comes from the USA, from a suburb of Chicago. He has already graduated from high school and applied for a spot in College, which he indeed received, but he decided to first take a Gap-year in Germany. Here, he wants to get to know a different Culture and of course also improve his language skills.
Heidi and Jürgen Marusch of Kurort Hartha decided spontaneously this June that they would host an exchange student and applied to the Organisation YFU to be host-parents. Then everything went very quickly: the forms, the information day, and getting the house ready.
Ill-Founded Worries
On August 18th they picked Jack up from the Dresden main-station in proper style, with an old Chevy pickup (that actually freaked me out a bit) originally from the US. With the restored "Oldtimer" (vintage car) they went with half of the family to Dresden. "At the train station I began to get a bit nervour", said Heidi. "I war probably more anxious than Jack". Will everyone get along for the whole year? Will we be able to communicate well enough to understand one another without problems? Heidi Marusch's worries were Ill-founded. Jack has learned German for 4 years. In order to be really ready, this summer he watched Germany kids-TV programs to prepare. "Die Sendung mit der Maus and Löwenzahn. And I also listened to german rap" (I'd really recommend these, find it on Youtube and stream full episodes on ZDFtivi --> www.tivi.de). "In other respects we agreed that we're allowed to correct Jack, when he makes a linguistic error", says Jürgen.
23 Kilos was allowed as luggage (I HAD SOME HEFTY LUGGAGE THO) on the flight from the US to Germany. Jack just packed clothes, his laptop, cellphone, a stone turtle for their garden and a coffee-table-book of Chicago. Everything else is here, from his own room on the 3rd floor to a bicycle. The first week with the Marusch family - the last week of summer vacation - went by unspectacularly (LIE). Taking care of bureaucratic stuff, a whiff of Tharandt forest air. And then the adventure began "The daily routine in Germany". For Jack that means: back to school.
Although he has already graduated from high school in the US, he'll still go to school in Freital - that's part of the exchange programm. Initially Jack is a little skeptical about this (I'm not). Going to school again, and also in 9th grade (that's what I was skeptical about, but that'll change in 2-ish weeks)? Meanwhile he is well welcomed there. "That was really clear. Jack simply went in with an open mind about the people. There one certainly sees a different mentality", said Heidi Marusch. If he feels bored by the class material, he can later switch to a higher grade (that's already happening, and it's because I want to meet people in my age group). He has so far found Math to be child's-play (I feel like that translates too strongly). And another advantage: the school's food. "In the US it's really terrible" (I'VE CHANGED MY MIND THEY'RE BOTH BAD), said Jack. In the afternoon he hangs out with classmates, often also on weekends. On Saturday he's planned to go Wake-boarding, similar to water-skiing (I love how they had to clarify that), and also go camping in Malter. Jack is also often out with Heidi and Jürgen. A look at the Waldschlösschenbrücke (new bridge), Coffee in Pfundsmolkerei (old cheese shop), a stroll through the Altmarktgalerie (mall). When Heidi's granddaughter visited they went to the Climbing-Course in Paulsdorf and explored Dresden from the air - in a hot air balloon. Heidi and Juergen still have much planned. During fall vacation they're going to the North-sea.
Many Differences From Home
And what makes Germany different from the US? "Everything is different, even little things. This makes even going to a grocery store interesting", said Jack. Two products he noticed were just the same as in the US: Nutella and Ocean-Spray Cranberry Juice. A few of the differences with jacks home: "The amount of trains and the whole train system is better. In the US more people need to drive. Pfand was a new concept for me (basically a bottle deposit, but it's for every bottle, even at some restaurants, and for shopping carts at grocery stores). And Zuckertüten ("Sugar-totes", basically goodie bags but it's a big deal) for little kids starting school (I got one though)", he said. An exciting event for the future: "The election will definitely be interesting. I think I can get to experience a lot of the political culture because of it". In the USA there's definitely a positive picture of the German way of life, but of course there's one prevailing image: At his going-away party at home there were Pretzels, Apple strudel and Bratwurst. The only thing missing was the Lederhosen (Yeah, so I found out that Pretzels and Apple strudel and bratwurst are mostly just big in Bavaria, what can I say, it's their Texas).
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