German students get up-close look of American life

Mayor Tom Rist highlights some of Mountain Home's history to the German students during their visit to city hall earlier this month. The group of 17 students and two teachers arrived in Mountain Home Oct. 4 as part of a nine-day visit.

Students from a high school in Germany got a first-hand look at the American lifestyle during an exchange program in Mountain Home.

The 17 students and their two adult chaperones arrived in Mountain Home on Oct. 4 as part of a nine-day visit.

The students and teachers were from the city of Hofgeismar, located in central Germany. With a population of 15,000 people, the town is just slightly larger than Mountain Home.

During their stay, the students were paired up with the families of students enrolled in Mountain Home High School's German language program. The visit was part of the German American Partnership Program, or GAPP, sponsored by the German Foreign Office and the U.S. State Department.

The group had been planning this trip since April, said Thorsten Baumann, one of the two teachers that accompanied the students on their trip.

He lauded Mountain Home's community spirit, calling it an enjoyable experience. He hopes to continue the rapport between his school and Mountain Home High School for years to come.

Baumann admits there are some distinct differences between schools in America and Germany. German high schools have a significantly heavier academic workload with students having to tackle up to 12 classes per semester.

However, schools in America have their own unique character, he added. For example, the visit was the first time he saw high school students play volleyball on a school campus.

German schools don't have extracurricular sports programs like this, he said. Instead, students have to turn to private clubs to participate.

The German students were well versed in the English language since it's a requirement in their classrooms, said Nele Abendroth, who teaches English and mathematics classes at their school in Hofgeismar.

"Our kids learn English in grade five," she said. "By 10th or 11th grade, they have in-depth knowledge of the language and the culture."

But she emphasized that these classes are not limited to the United States. They include an additional focus on countries like Australia and the United Kingdom.

Reflecting on her visit to date, she called Mountain Home a "very welcome and inviting" community.

She added that people here have a significant amount of personal freedom. For example, she was surprised to see so many school-age children driving their own cars.

In Germany, the minimum driving age is 18.

That freedom is one of many things that make the United States so unique, Abendroth said. The nation represents a "salad bowl" of different cultures and ideas.

For Kevin Strobel, one of the group's 12th grade students, the visit was chance for him see the things he was only able to watch on television.

"My father lived a year in the United States and told stories of what it was like here," Strobel said.

Strobel was surprised at Idaho's wide open spaces as well as the low prices for everything from food to automobiles. In Germany, a brand-new truck retails for more than $50,000 with gasoline running about $10 a gallon.

He was also taken back by the number of restaurants that people here enjoy.

"We only have McDonald's and Burger King," he said. "But on every corner (here) there's a fast food restaurant. It's amazing."

American food was a big hit with many of the students and teachers.

"I really enjoyed the Mexican food," Abendroth said. "It's really hard to find back home."

The teacher also has a particular fondness for Pop Tarts and Rice Krispies squares.

"My favorite thing is going to the grocery store," she added. Supermarkets here offer a lot more than the ones she normally frequents in her hometown.

As part of their visit, the students had opportunities to visit a variety of places in Mountain Home and surrounding communities. In addition to touring Mountain Home Air Force Base, they arranged a trip to the Mountain Home Historical Museum before meeting with Mayor Tom Rist.

During a question and answer session with the mayor, the teens asked a number of questions. While many of them dealt with federal issues like the recent government shutdown, others focused on local topics such as the availability of water in southern Idaho's high desert climate.

The following day, the group headed to Boise to visit the state capital.

Later this year, the Mountain Home High School students will travel to Hofgeismar to visit with the families of the students they hosted here.