Laura Wishink - TAS to Germany
Fri 12 Sep 2008
Laura Wishink from Fahan School in TAS is currently on our year program to Germany. Here is Laura’s latest update.
Germany has been a fantastic experience so far. When I think back to when I left Sydney airport around 7 months ago, it is like looking back at a totally different person. As the group of us exchange students heading to Germany took off on the plane, laughing and chatting away excitedly, we really had no idea of what lay ahead.
We arrived in Germany for an initial two day orientation, before heading off to meet our host families. Arriving at the Munich train station to meet my host family was a combination of nerves and excitement. Having learnt German at school for a few years, I expected that communication wouldn’t be a problem, and that I would be fluent within a month or so. How naive I was. Learning and speaking a language at school in Australia, is very different to integrating in a foreign country with it. That was when I realised I had to drop all expectations and just take each day as it comes. For the first few months, holding down anything more than a basic conversation was difficult. But I embraced the challenge and set about doing my best to learn the language, meet new people and integrate into life in Germany.
It’s been fantastic experiencing the German culture and the events and activities that come with it. I live in a town called Vaterstetten, which is about 20 minutes outside of Munich with the train. Munich is a fantastic city, and after coming from Australia where there aren’t any buildings more than 200 years old, the old architecture, castles and history here definitely makes for an interesting cultural experience. The typical German diet – lots of pork meat, potatoes and bread is not my first choice of food, but a good experience in any case, and of course, there is always room for variation wherever you are!
In contrast to the community type school system in Australia, students go to school each day (almost always on a bicycle) in Germany for around 5 hours, just for the individual subject lessons. There are no assemblies or tutes, and all other extra curricular activities are undertaken outside of school with various clubs and organisations for those who are wanting to partake. Since coming here I joined a basketball team, a yoga class and enrolled in an art course, which have all been fun and a good opportunity to meet new people.
Being in Europe can also open itself up to opportunities for travel. I visited Rome with my school history class, went on a trip to Paris organised by the exchange program in Germany and I have also managed to see other parts of Europe whilst over here.
Although there have been some difficult times and a lot of challenges in this exchange – the language, living with a different family, the different culture etc, I would never regret the decision to undertake this program in Germany with Student Exchange Australia. I feel like I have grown enormously as a person, and what I have gained will stay with me for life. I have also met some fantastic people here and made some great friends, some of which I am certain I will have contact with for years to come. Being now able to speak and communicate fluently in German is a fantastic feeling and something which will most likely serve me in the future. Therefore, I can only view the entire experience here so far as positive, and I encourage anyone who is considering doing an exchange to take the opportunity and embrace the challenge.
I’m really looking forward to the coming months here in Germany! I also want to express my thanks to my current host family, Student Exchange Australia and the partner organisation in Germany – DFSR, for assisting me throughout the program and helping to make it such a good experience.
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