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S2 E7 - German Exchange Students · Inside the OSD

• 0:00
  SPEAKER1: We are thrilled to welcome students from our German exchange to Oregon High School.
• 0:05
  The students have been here for just over a week, and we are excited to hear how it's been going.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER2: Welcome to this episode of Inside the OSD podcast, where it's all about the kids.
• 0:17
  Here is your host.
• 0:18
  Lifelong educator and our superintendent, Dr.
• 0:21
  Leslie Bergstrom.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER1: Thank you for joining us today.
• 0:26
  And we would like to start by talking with our exchange coordinator.
• 0:31
  Can you please introduce yourself for our listeners?
• 0:34
  SPEAKER3: I'm Jessica Binder.
• 0:36
  I'm from Germany. I teach at Dreieich Schule together with these amazing kids.
• 0:41
  I've been there since 2010.
• 0:44
  I teach English and physical education.
• 0:47
  German teachers always have at least two subjects to teach.
• 0:50
  Oh, and yeah, I have been part of this amazing exchange since the beginning, actually.
• 0:59
  I was here in 2012, then I took some time off -- and then, now I'm back.
• 1:04
  So why is
• 1:05
  SPEAKER4: it important for you to be a part of the trip?
• 1:07
  Well,
• 1:08
  SPEAKER3: I've spent high school year or high school year in the US, and I got to have this amazing experience of all this hospitality
• 1:18
  and the different school system and everything you see on movies.
• 1:22
  It's like kind of part of it is true, but it's also different.
• 1:26
  Right. So when I kind of came a chaperone on the exchange, I saw that this program is really close to what I have experienced
• 1:35
  over a year, but in a condensed form.
• 1:38
  So our students get to do the same.
• 1:41
  They get to have the same experiences that I got to have, and it's like not everybody gets to have those.
• 1:48
  And so I said, "well, this is an amazing program.
• 1:51
  I have to support it.
• 1:52
  So I have to be part of it."
• 1:53
  SPEAKER4: And that's why I'm here. Oh, that's very nice.
• 1:55
  Where were you when you were a high school student in the US?
• 1:58
  Well, that's --
• 2:00
  SPEAKER3: Actually it was in Texas, there in northeast Texas.
• 2:03
  So the conservative part of the US.
• 2:05
  Yes, yes.
• 2:06
  And yeah.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER4: Very nice. So you mentioned America in movies when you were a teenager.
• 2:14
  Was there a movie that made you think about America?
• 2:17
  SPEAKER3: Well, there -- we have lots of TV content that's American.
• 2:22
  But I think like when I was their age, like 15 or 14, I think it was the time of -- it's called Einen Mich Einel.
• 2:31
  I don't know the American title at all.
• 2:33
  It's, it's a typical high school comedy.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER4: Really?
• 2:37
  SPEAKER3: There's yeah, there's this ugly girl and she's kind of -- she doesn't want to be -- she doesn't want to have the attention.
• 2:43
  And then there's this cute high school boy.
• 2:45
  Sort of stereotypes. I was going
• 2:47
  SPEAKER4: to say, that sounds like a lot of high school stereotypes, but.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER3: Teenagers, right?
• 2:51
  They're highly influential.
• 2:52
  So that was one American -- I don't know the title.
• 2:58
  Um.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER4: What else?
• 3:01
  SPEAKER3: Welcome to -- There was this TV show with Claire Danes and --
• 3:05
  SPEAKER4: Oh, yes!
• 3:07
  SPEAKER3: I think "welcome to --" I don't know.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER4: My Teenage Life for something like that?
• 3:11
  Yeah.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER3: German title as well. Yeah.
• 3:12
  And it was kind of different than the others though.
• 3:15
  But I watched that.
• 3:16
  So lots of high school content.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER4: It's always fun to think about what movies make people think about the American experience and how true they might be to the experience.
• 3:27
  So what's been a highlight of your trip so far to Oregon?
• 3:32
  SPEAKER3: Wow. Where should I start?
• 3:34
  I think for sure the highlight was homecoming week and pep rally and the homecoming dance, because we haven't had that on the exchange so far ever.
• 3:43
  There was a first. Wow.
• 3:44
  Okay. And I think the kids were really excited to have that experience because we don't have anything similar in Germany.
• 3:51
  We just learn from it from their books.
• 3:54
  And it's a really difficult concept to kind of convey because it's just a theoretical concept.
• 4:01
  Right. So I think there was a real highlight and was just after we arrived.
• 4:04
  So everybody was flashed and then.
• 4:09
  Yeah, just to being welcome.
• 4:11
  And you come into Oregon Main Street, you see the flags, and then you have the parents and the host families welcoming us.
• 4:17
  And then you come here to school and everybody is just so, so - I don't know - nice and.
• 4:24
  Yeah. And empathetic.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER4: Yes. That's great.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER3: It just amazes me.
• 4:31
  And I think that the students get to experience is always -- it makes me speechless somehow.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER4: You know, I can't wait to hear from the students and what they thought of the pep assembly as an example, because as you stated, this must be a really
• 4:48
  unusual experience for them.
• 4:51
  So I'm excited to hear what all of you thought about it.
• 4:53
  So now we're very excited to talk with our exchange students.
• 4:57
  So if you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to each introduce yourself, your name, your year in school, and if you've been to the US before, we'll start here and
• 5:06
  go around the circle.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER5: My name is Carol and I'm 16 years old, and I go to the 11th grade in Germany, and I was never in the US before.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER4: All right.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER5: So my name is Mia.
• 5:21
  I'm also 16 years old, and I also go to 11th grade in Germany, and I also have I've never been in the US before.
• 5:30
  Hi, my name is Sophie.
• 5:32
  I'm 15 years old and I go to the 10th grade in Germany and I was also never in the US before.
• 5:41
  Hi, I'm
• 5:42
  SPEAKER6: Theo, I'm 15 years old and last year I was in Boston for three weeks.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER4: Really? So this is your second US experience?
• 5:50
  Yes. All right.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER7: And I'm Johnny, I'm 15 years old and I was in the 10th grade in Germany.
• 5:58
  I think that's like the sophomores here in America.
• 6:01
  And it's also my first time here.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER4: All right. Thank you all.
• 6:05
  So what made you decide to be a part of the exchange program?
• 6:09
  And this time, should we start here and go around?
• 6:12
  SPEAKER7: Okay. I think a huge point was that I always love to travel the world and learn more about other cultures,
• 6:21
  and I have seen many movies, too, and I have seen the American life as very amazing.
• 6:31
  And so I always wanted to come here and prove if every thing that is in the movie is true.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER4: Well, we'll have to talk about that later.
• 6:40
  I'm curious what you think about it now.
• 6:43
  Go ahead, Theo.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER6: Yeah, I think the American way of of living and the American high schools are interesting.
• 6:50
  And you just know this from from videos.
• 6:55
  And yeah, I think it's interesting.
• 6:58
  All these houses look completely different.
• 7:00
  All the streets and.
• 7:03
  Yeah, just just the life, the living in high school, going to high school every day is pretty interesting.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER5: So yeah, I wanted to like see a different culture because like in Germany we.-- Yeah, it's just like the everyday it's nothing new anymore.
• 7:20
  And here in the US it's like completely different and everything.
• 7:24
  And also like the high school experience, like you see it in movies and everything.
• 7:30
  But it's not like in Germany in like the school system and everything is in Germany completely different.
• 7:37
  So I just wanted to experience it.
• 7:40
  Thank you. Yeah.
• 7:41
  I think every kid, every kid in Germany just wants to visit the US for one time.
• 7:50
  And I think I wanted to do it because I wanted to do great experiences to improve my English skills and just to make
• 8:00
  special and unique memories.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER4: Yeah. Thank you.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER5: For me, it was like a dream to come one time here.
• 8:09
  And it was like a chance to make a dream come true.
• 8:14
  And also to make new friends.
• 8:17
  Because I was told from my neighbor, her son did it already.
• 8:22
  So this exchange with this same school, and he was -- he got new friends and he stay in contact, like in contact like ten years after.
• 8:31
  And I wanted to have the same.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER4: That's great. And can I also say that your English skills are very, very impressive.
• 8:41
  Very impressed with how well you are all speaking English.
• 8:45
  So whoever has been your English teacher -- Great job.
• 8:52
  So tell me what you've enjoyed most about your experience so far and what has surprised you most?
• 8:59
  What did you enjoy the most and what surprised you the most?
• 9:02
  And whomever would like to start first, go right ahead.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER7: I think I'll start.
• 9:08
  I really enjoyed the homecoming week because it was like it's been already said, we don't have that usually in Germany.
• 9:16
  And so everything was new and also the pep rally that everyone showed his pride for the school.
• 9:25
  And that was something that kind of surprised me, that everyone is very proud for the school.
• 9:33
  And yes, and I think that was also the thing that I really liked here the most.
• 9:40
  Thank you.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER5: I love the homecoming dance.
• 9:44
  In Germany, we don't have such a dance party from school.
• 9:50
  And I love the decoration and just, the whole the whole atmosphere there.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER4: Yeah, good word.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER5: Atmosphere, that everyone come there in dresses and suits.
• 10:08
  And it was just --
• 10:11
  SPEAKER4: come together. It was fun. Great.
• 10:13
  I'm glad. Go ahead.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER6: Yeah, I think, so now I enjoyed the most just the school and all the many different classes you can
• 10:24
  visit and.
• 10:26
  Yeah. How open and interested all the teachers, all the other students are.
• 10:32
  They let you participate in their classes, they show you everything.
• 10:37
  They -- they are interested in the German way of living and.
• 10:42
  Yeah. And one thing that really impressed me are the big supermarkets here, which are completely different from what we know.
• 10:51
  So I've been to Costco and it's very big.
• 10:55
  And all these, yeah, huge packages of everything and all the TVs, all the clothing, all the decorations.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER4: Costco was surprising.
• 11:06
  Yeah, that makes sense to me.
• 11:09
  It still surprises me.
• 11:11
  So that's something that's with us.
• 11:14
  Very good. How about you, Sophie?
• 11:16
  SPEAKER5: Um, I think I like the pep rally the most.
• 11:20
  Just the whole homecoming week.
• 11:23
  Um, like the students dressing up and everything.
• 11:25
  Like we just don't have that in Germany.
• 11:28
  So it was really nice seeing that and the pep rally, like everybody in their school colors.
• 11:34
  And when, like, band played and everything was so loud, I got goosebumps and everything was so cool.
• 11:41
  Um, but I think, I think the thing that surprised me the most was maybe also like the school pride, because I don't really have that with my German school.
• 11:51
  Like I like my German school.
• 11:53
  I think it's great, but I'm not really like, proud of it or something.
• 11:56
  Yeah. No.
• 11:58
  Yeah.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER4: Yeah. What do you think?
• 11:59
  SPEAKER5: Um, for me, it was also a very nice experience.
• 12:03
  The homecoming week.
• 12:05
  I like the pep rally, too.
• 12:06
  It was really cool to see all the students in one hall, and they're all so excited for the school and, like, the school.
• 12:14
  Um, yes.
• 12:15
  And for me, it's also very, um.
• 12:19
  Something different from Germany.
• 12:21
  Like the supermarket, like Costco is so big and you can buy everything and just in so huge packages.
• 12:29
  I don't know who eats so much.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER4: Were you surprised when the teacher started dancing at the assembly?
• 12:37
  Yeah!
• 12:39
  SPEAKER5: Some song came -- like I thought it was, um, finished and everything.
• 12:46
  And suddenly the principal was standing there.
• 12:49
  I think it was the song from --
• 12:52
  SPEAKER4: "I Will Survive."
• 12:53
  SPEAKER5: "I Will--" yeah, it just starts playing.
• 12:55
  I was like, "what's happening now?" And then the principal started to dance, and then the other teachers came.
• 13:00
  And also dance was really cool.
• 13:02
  Yeah, it's pretty fun. Great.
• 13:04
  Yes. Like, um, also how the teachers, the connection between the teachers and the students are, I think, really casual and different than in
• 13:14
  Germany. And I think that's really cool.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER4: What do you all hope to take away from this experience?
• 13:21
  And whomever would like to start can go right ahead.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER5: I think I would like to have more friends.
• 13:28
  I already got new friends from Germany, from German students like we, I don't know, some of them.
• 13:37
  And we just met at the airport and we just understand very good.
• 13:42
  And now we're doing a lot of things together, but also the American students.
• 13:47
  It's for the homecoming week, homecoming dance.
• 13:51
  We got ready at a friend's house of my host sister, and it was kind of nice.
• 13:58
  It was like an a experience we don't have in Germany and so cool everyone in one place.
• 14:05
  And we did something together.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER4: Thank you.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER7: Um, I think something that will stay forever is also the new people we met here in school.
• 14:18
  Because -- maybe because of the long distance to Germany, um, we will stay in contact a long time, and maybe we will
• 14:27
  visit Oregon one more time in our lives, or they come to us.
• 14:31
  And I think also all the experience we made here, like, maybe we don't we don't know
• 14:41
  how how much we we learn here.
• 14:44
  But our English skills, they get improved, improved every day we get.
• 14:49
  So we learn so many words every day.
• 14:53
  And I think all of that will stay a long, long time.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER5: Thank you. I think US has so many different things that we don't have in Germany.
• 15:05
  I just want to see as much as possible and just do everything that we can do.
• 15:12
  Like, I don't know, go to autumn festivals or to farms and, I don't know, to go --
• 15:22
  to go to shops that we don't have in Germany.
• 15:24
  Just to see everything before the time is over.
• 15:27
  Thank you.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER6: I think the memories will last forever, if you know what.
• 15:34
  Maybe the photos you take here in ten years or something.
• 15:38
  You will remember this as a great time.
• 15:41
  Yeah, and I also think the English skills are improving without knowing.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER4: Very good.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER5: Yeah, I pretty much think the same thing.
• 15:51
  Like the memories we make here.
• 15:53
  Like new friends.
• 15:55
  They will hold a long time, especially with photos and just everything.
• 15:59
  And obviously I hope my English improves.
• 16:03
  Yeah.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER4: Well, as I already said, I think you already all have pretty terrific English skills.
• 16:10
  If somebody was wondering whether or not they should take a trip like this, what would you say to them?
• 16:16
  Do it.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER5: Just do it.
• 16:18
  It's an amazing experience.
• 16:21
  The people are so nice and everything and it's like once in a lifetime experience, especially with the high school, right?
• 16:29
  Like, without this exchange, I wouldn't wouldn't be able to, like, do such thing.
• 16:37
  So it's really cool and I would.
• 16:40
  Tell everybody. I would also say that you to do it.
• 16:45
  At the beginning I was also "So should I do it or not?" But now I'm so glad I'm here and
• 16:54
  it's so nice.
• 16:56
  And it's another like, you have to do it by yourself.
• 17:00
  There's no parent that can help you or something, so you have to talk alone to the host parents if there's something or.
• 17:11
  You had to care for yourself and that's, I think, a really nice experience, too.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER7: Um, I also think that you should just do it, because I think when you're an open minded person, it's really easy to find new friends here in America or just get
• 17:27
  to know two new people.
• 17:29
  Um, and I think you it's something that you can -- you will remember your whole life because it helps you a lot.
• 17:37
  You get more.
• 17:38
  You will improve to -- to be an adult because you have to you have to
• 17:48
  work here. And when something isn't perfect, you have to talk with your parents.
• 17:53
  And I think, um, so that you may make your many very good progress.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER4: Very nice. So one more thing.
• 18:05
  If a student was thinking about whether or not they should go to Germany, what do you think you would want to tell them that they would absolutely love about
• 18:14
  Germany? What would they love?
• 18:18
  Go ahead.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER6: Yeah, I think they would probably love that our school is so short, so it usually ends at 1 p.m.
• 18:26
  and I think it's also completely different.
• 18:29
  And that's what makes it so interesting because yeah, you do your sports in your free time, not in school.
• 18:40
  Yeah, it's pretty much what it is.
• 18:42
  And also just to get more independent, just to have a great time, meet new people.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER4: Yes, absolutely.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER5: Yeah. I also think that the people in Germany are also really nice and you have more free time after school, so if you make new friends
• 18:59
  there, then you can just hang out with them.
• 19:01
  And we have many places where teenagers can go after school like I don't know.
• 19:11
  Swimming pool. Public pool or to -- We have a lake where the teenagers go to play volleyball
• 19:21
  and to go swimming with their friends and everything.
• 19:24
  Or just. We also go by bike very often in Germany when the weather is good and it's also just fun.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER4: You're making it sound fun.
• 19:34
  You are. Anything else?
• 19:37
  SPEAKER5: I think also there are many places that are very interesting to see, but maybe the food too, because there are some different things.
• 19:45
  And today I had a presentation and the teacher said when she go to Germany she will eat a flour coleslaw.
• 19:54
  Oh yeah, like something like a pretzel.
• 19:57
  Yeah, just a big pretzel.
• 19:59
  German food. Yeah.
• 20:00
  And she said "I have to eat it again.
• 20:02
  It was so good." And I think there are some different things the students from here would like very much.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER4: Great.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER5: Anything?
• 20:14
  Also we have in the summer when like the -- this time the exchange students from here come back.
• 20:21
  We have like the breakfast with like a lot of.
• 20:24
  What is? Roller coasters.
• 20:29
  Roller coasters and everything.
• 20:30
  Which, like, really like a local test or something?
• 20:34
  Yes. Which is really popular.
• 20:37
  And there are a lot of things.
• 20:38
  And go there with your friends and just have fun and it's really nice.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER4: Well, you're all making it very tempting to take another trip to Germany.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER1: If you were from the teenage perspective, you're making it sound like it would be a lot of fun.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER4: For a young person to be a part of the trip that goes to visit your country, too.
• 20:57
  So thank you.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER1: Thanks for sharing
• 21:00
  SPEAKER4: your experiences
• 21:00
  SPEAKER1: with us today.
• 21:02
  It was
• 21:03
  SPEAKER4: very nice for you to
• 21:04
  SPEAKER1: talk about all the things that you found to be interesting and surprising.
• 21:08
  And I also really liked hearing about what you love about your country too.
• 21:12
  Thank you. Remember that you can find links to all episodes of inside the OSD and submit topic ideas on our website
• 21:22
  at OregonSD.Org/podcast.
• 21:26
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• 21:30
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• 21:36
  We'll see you next time on inside the OSD,
• 21:39
  where it's all about the kids.