Helene

Traveling to America from Leipzig Germany is a huge change for sixteen-year-old Helene, especially when it comes to adjusting to a new school. The Roncalli experience differs from the high school Helene attends for many reasons. When asked about the Roncalli staff, Helene told us the teachers are very nice and friendly.” In Germany, teachers seem to be more strict and are only there to teach education, not to get involved in a student’s life. The student’s everyday life is also different according to Helene because they don’t have the same schedule everyday.” Helene and her classmates back in Germany participate in three school breaks every day, the last up to an hour long. Helene also notices that students at Roncalli are in school much longer than German students back home. Helene and her fellow peers don’t participate in extra classes like Psychology, Journalism, etc. At Helene’s school, they are required to take certain classes every year. Overall, Helene has been enjoying her stay in America, but would ultimately have to choose her hometown high school over Roncalli.

Maris

Seventeen-year-old German student, Maris, is no stranger to the English language, considering that she has been learning English since she was eight years old. Something she isn’t used to is the American people and their culture. As she says, American people are more friendly than Germans. In her country, it isn’t customary to converse with a stranger. Along with the German and American differences, Maris prefers German food to American food, stating that it is much healthier compared to America’s. However, Maris does like the teachers in America, displaying that teachers at Roncalli develop a unique relationship with students compared to teachers in Germany who are there to teach. Finally, one distinct thing she noticed about American schools is the school spirit. Maris states that students here often rep school merchandise, but in Germany, the students are less of a community, especially when compared to Roncalli.