Why did you decide to take German, and when was your GAPP exchange?
The school I attended, Henry Ford Academy, actually chose your foreign language for you. But I had hoped I would get to take German, because my father’s side of the family is from Germany. I actually chose to go to Henry Ford because of the GAPP program, and I was very lucky that I got to participate. My family hosted a GAPP student in 2015, and I went to Germany in 2016.
Did you have any expectations for Germany?
Yes, but it turns out they were completely wrong. We have a German-themed city in Michigan called Frankenmuth. Michigan has a lot of German settlers, and we would often have family reunions in Frankenmuth. When I was growing up I thought “This is what Germany is like”, and it turns out it's definitely not. So it was cool to see the comparisons when I actually visited Germany, like “oh Frankenmuth is just a cheesy stereotype''. The city had a lot of Bavarian stereotypes, everyone was in ‘Lederhosen’, everyone carrying big steins of beer. Looking back, it was very tacky and not authentic at all.
Can you tell us a bit about your exchange experience?
We went to a southern city called Pfullendorf in Baden-Württemberg. It was a small town, and we could really tell the difference when we went to big cities like Ulm and Munich. When I first got to Germany, I was super anxious. You do the plane ride, you’re tired, you’re 16, and it can be very overwhelming. I remember sitting in the bathroom, not understanding how the shower works because it was just a flat floor. Water was going everywhere, and I was just bawling, saying “what am I supposed to do?” My host sister came in and said “Why are you crying? It's going to be fine.” and I said “You’re right.” It took a few days, but with the help of my host sister I got comfortable. We are still in touch, and it's nice to know I got to build such a strong relationship despite my anxiety.
Did you visit your host sister after your exchange?
We had a three month long visit planned. She is a dual citizen in Croatia, and we were going to go there. Then COVID hit, and the trip was postponed; I’m still sitting on the flight credits. It's been really hard, between school and COVID we don’t know when we’ll get to see each other.
When you visited Germany, did you see any differences in the schools or students?
Yes, I feel like all schools in Germany are closer to what universities are in the States. I worked in elementary schools during my exchange, and I remember thinking “Oh my gosh, these kids are so advanced. They have so much more freedom when it comes to how they structure their day”.
It was crazy to see how much freedom students had there, especially teenagers. We could just go walking downtown after school, grabbing coffee or pretzels or shopping, then hanging out in the town center. In America, we have to ask before we do anything, because there's this fear of something happening. I never felt that in Germany. There would be three or four of us girls walking around during the day and most adults would just say “have fun.” It was just such a safe place. If I did that here, my dad would be tracking my phone the entire time.
What is your favorite memory from your GAPP exchange?
When we were in Ulm we got to see someone break a Guinness record. This guy was running the stairs of the cathedral, he went up and down five or six times, beating the world record. We were just walking up the stairs as he ran up, and we laughed as we saw him stop to grab a beer. I have a picture with this crazy guy, him drenched in sweat holding two beers. The memory still makes me laugh.
Do you think your exchange experience changed you?
Absolutely. I was a very sheltered kid; I did what I was told, got good grades in school, and just sort of went through the motions. I had so much anxiety, even before the trip. One of my best friends was supposed to go and decided not to, and I almost didn’t go. But I took that leap of faith, and I’ll always be proud of that decision. I think it was such an important experience, for someone at such a young age to just leave and do something so different. It helped me realize that doing things, no matter how scary they are, can change your life for the better.
Do you have any advice for someone thinking of doing a GAPP exchange?
Do it. Do everything. Even if it scares you. I had never even been on an airplane for more than two hours, I remember being so overwhelmed and anxious. You might be scared for a moment, but looking back you’ll be happy you did it. I would do it again 100 times over. You have to trust yourself, and take that chance.
