Jack Anderson Colombia Exchange

When I arrived in Bogota at about 8 p.m, I was all welcomed by, as I would soon find out, the nicest people I have ever met. I was greeted by my host brother, Santiago, and his parents, Sandra and Alejandro, with a firm hug or hardy handshake. Because Santiago’s parents are divorced, I had two different families while in Colombia,opening up a variety of incredible opportunities to see Colombia through both of his parents’ views. The next day was a Monday during the school year, however, we did not have school since it was one of the many holidays we had during the trip. So, that next day, Santi and I had the time to go bowling with Mack and his host, Alejo. While bowling is the same as it is in the United States, it was a great opportunity to get to know our hosts better.

The group upon arrival in Colombia.

The next day was my first day of classes at the Colegio Claustro Moderno. I got up first in my household, eager to get to school and meet many new people. However, and what I did not realize, breakfast is an important meal eaten everyday. Typically, I don’t eat breakfast at home, so eating breakfast was a major adjustment. My not eating breakfast eventually became a running gag in our household. At school, we were all welcomed warmly by all of the students, faculty, and staff. In between classes and during breaks, the group would play either basketball, volleyball, or soccer. I knew going in that school would be very different. When I walked into class the first day, I immediately noticed how much more relaxed classes were. Our first week of classes was exam week, so I got to take tests in Spanish. I was most excited for the English exam, but, unfortunately, I was unable to take it. Also, during classes, the group would go on school sponsored trips. These trips helped us see the incredible monuments and tourist attractions that we would not have been able to see other wise. For our first adventure, we went to the Salt Cathedral with our hosts and an English teacher. We traveled about 200 m below ground level into a salt mine in order to visit an incredible church carved completely out of the salt the miners were mining for. This trip provided for a very fun way to see the culture of Colombia. 

The cross in the Salt Cathedral.

While I was in Colombia, the Copa America, a soccer tournament for all American national soccer teams. was taking place. Fortunately for us, the first friday we were in Bogota, the Colombian national soccer team and the United States national soccer played each other. The whole group of hosts and exchange students was able to come over to our apartment and watch the soccer game together. We had a lot of fun, however the United States lost 2-0. Also through the school, we went to places such as Monseratte, a cathedral on top of a mountain 3000 km high overlooking all of Bogota, and El Museo de Oro, a museum showcasing gold from thousands of years ago left by the indigenous people. At the Monseratte, we saw an incredible panoramic view of all of Bogota, the biggest city I have ever seen. It was breathtaking.

A picture of me, Mack, and Patrick with a llama at the base of Monseratte.

My host mother's boyfriend owned property outside the city in the Andes Mountain Range. One Saturday, my family, including my host's brother who is an ecology major, went up to the Andes to see the incredible sights offered. We didn't see many animals, as it was about noon, but walking through the forest with an ecology major allowed for a very cool, once-in-a-lifetime, experience. He pointed out many little plants, animals, bugs, and insects that I never would have noticed or appreciated without him.

                                                            A panoramic view of the Andes Mountain Range. 

At the end of our trip, the group played a series of pickup basketball games against our hosts and their friends. This series was a ton of fun, and the whole grade got out of class to watch. In the end, unlike the United States in soccer, we won. Our final days were bittersweet. I had grown to really like everyone I met in Bogota, so saying goodbye was no fun. Saying goodbye to my host family was the hardest. I was so thankful for everything they had done for me, and they had done such a great job making me feel at home in a foreign country.

In the end, I would like to thank everybody that made this trip possible, including Mr. Berry, for going on the trip with us, Sr. Paolicchi, for helping us coordinate the trip, and the Wilson family, for allowing us all to go and have an experience of a lifetime while learning a lot of new Spanish.

Centre King: Wiesbaden, Germany

On Sunday, June 18th, I arrived at the Frankfurt airport and was greeted by the family I would get to know over the next three weeks. That very first day my host brother, Leander, took me to get doener, a favorite food of the german people. It didn't take me long to figure out how much I liked the german food, but as I experienced more I liked other things about germany and my experience even more. The next day I went to school for the first time in a month, but I enjoyed it. I quickly made lots of friends some of whom I still keep in touch with now. Of course I talked with them almost all in German. That first week of school was marked with several field trips. We went into Wiesbaden on Monday and Tuesday. The next day we went to Heidelberg, a very beautiful city marked at the top with a large castle. After that we went to Mainz, the sister city of Wiesbaden. When we were in school, we would go to german class in the morning, and join the real German students in the rest of their classes for the day. The length of the school day varied from 1:30-4.This is the view from the vineyards looking over Wiesbaden. The city was were all the german kids went when they wanted to get together, we walked through it countless times.

This city is  Heidelberg. The image on the right is of the castle I referred to earlier. We hiked through the city and up a huge hill to get the the entrance. But as you can see on the left, it was definitely worth it. It was one of if not the most beautiful German city I was able to see.
 This is one of several very beautiful churches we visited in Mainz. This one in particular was built over a thousand years ago. While in Mainz we also visited a museum.
The Next Two Weeks: Much of what my German family, friends, and I did was limited during the week due to school, but on the weekends especially we were really able to experience what it was like being a German our age. All of his friends and the MBA exchange students did countless things together from playing soccer in the park, to going to the pool or out to eat.We even celebrated fourth of July together at the German American friendship festival. However, my favorite thing we all did was going to public viewings for soccer. We were extremely fortunate to be there during the Euro soccer tournament. I had heard about the love of soccer in Europe, but did not actually realize how intense it was until I experienced it myself. I'll never forget sitting with several hundred people holding their breath for the Germany vs. Italy game which went into a very close penalty shootout. When Germany finally won, the place erupted. Actually the whole city erupted. Cars were honking their horns and people were out on the streets for the rest of the night. During these two weeks, I also did many things with just my host family.

They took me all over the country side. We went to different castles and eventually ended up at the Rhein, one of the main rivers in Germany. My host family also took me to Frankfurt for a day. The father worked there. Leander and I wandered for hours before the father came and took us up into what is one of the tallest buildings in Europe.
Travel Week: All of us said goodbye at the train station as the MBA students left with Herr Dougherty for Munich. The first night we arrived we ate at the iconic Hofbrauhaus. We were then exposed to our first Hostel. It had no air conditioning and we were all in one room, but it was so much fun.

The next day we toured several places, one of which being the BMW museum on the right. We also went the the Olympic park where the Olympics were once held. It was made to resemble the Alps. While we were there, there was a bike race, and we followed the path up to the top of a hill, where we saw a spectacular view of the whole city. Later that day and the next day we went to the English Gardens even with thousands of people sunbathing there, was still beautiful. The other exchange students and I swam in the river that runs through it. We also visited Dachau, a nazi labor camp. It was a very moving tour which exposed to us the way some people treated during the WWII era. The next day we departed to Wien.

In my opinion Vienna was the most beautiful city we visited. It was once a main city in the world and still is. I have countless pictures of buildings just like these, but I simply cannot fit them all. The first day we walked around the inner circle that surrounded the city.
The next day we toured countless museums together including where Franz Joseph lived. We ended the day going to a restaurant that served traditional Wiener Schnitzel. It was very good, but then again, almost everything that I ate in Austria and Germany was. The next day I had to leave, because I was meeting my family in London.

I would like to thank the Wilson family so much for giving me this opportunity. I made so many relationships that will stay with me as long as I live. I talk to Leander every day. My German has also improved tremendously. None of it would be possible without you.

John Whitaker: German Exchange

On June 18th, I, along with four others, left Nashville on our long-awaited exchange. After arriving in Frankfurt on an early Sunday morning, I was greeted by Til and Frau Hagendorn holding a "Willkommen, John" sign. I was asked immediately, if I wished to speak partly German or only German. I chose the latter; then, I received multiple indiscernible questions, which Til understood went over my head. Although I had been learning German for three years and found much success in the language, I hadn't learned in a German setting, that slightly increased the intensity and reality of each confrontation. Instead of a light-hearted conversation in another language, my German vanity suddenly became tested by the mundane interactions between my expectations and myself. After absorbing the Germans rays and reviewing verbs, Til took me to Eltville and the gardens, there. It was like a European Cheekwood set against rolling hills of vineyards beside the Rhein. It was an enjoyable way to get acclimated to Germany.

That Monday was my first normal school day. Except for several days, I would follow the same schedule for the following three weeks. I woke up around 7 am, eat a light breakfast of Muesli or cold cuts, and rode to school with Til and his neighbor. At school for three periods to start the day, we had German, which helped to readjust to the language everyday. Then, I would shadow Til in any other class similar to ones at MBA. In the middle of the day we had lunch followed by more classes. They don't have organized athletics after school, so we would have PE once a week. Til, however, remained very active, so we went to the gym or played soccer a lot afterwards.

We went to Heidelberg that Wednesday and saw the castle, there overlooking the city.

The next day we went to Mainz and saw the Gutenberg Museum, where the original printing press is, and we saw the Mainzer Dom, a huge cathedral built in the Dark Ages.

On the first Saturday, Til took me to Frankfurt. We walked around the city and saw the remains of the traditional area being encroached by the new commercialism and business capital of Germany.

The next Wednesday, Til and I were back with his art class to see the art museum. There were works by Picasso and Rembrandt as well as a Warhol piece of Goethe, the Frankfurter philosopher and poet.

The next two weeks were unique. I don't know, if I'll be able to live with students like me and converse with them ever again. I forged great friendships and still keep in touch. I miss the students and the Hagendorn family. Even though they're thousands of miles away and live in a separated culture, we share the same understanding of each other's differences and appreciate them. Through this common bond, I've realized we're not all too different. In these same moments, I've learned more about myself and what it means to be American as well as German.

After Wiesbaden, our next adventure began in Munich. We saw the BMW Museum, Olympic Park, English Garden, and Dachau. Dachau was trip in itself into the horror of the concentration camps and Nazi Germany. To consider that this happened only 70 years ago is chilling yet preposterous. What happened to the Jews was literal hell. However, the Germany now is another universe compared to their recent past. This dark history has likely given their country nightmares, which they're still quietly trying to forget. The growing youth and death of the wartime generation has helped them stray from this cursed image, though. Witnessing the current Germany made me to realize, that it's a misunderstood place.

BMW World

Munich Olympic Park

Isar River

Dochau

Jewish Memorial

We arrived in Vienna by train on July 12th. For the next couple of days we saw many of the churches, government buildings, and monuments in Vienna. We visited the Parliament building, Prater fairgrounds, Danube River, and a park to play soccer all in one day, before eating traditional Wiener Schnitzel. We saw the Schönbrunn castle, where Franz Josef lived. We climbed up the Stefansdom tower, once the largest building in Vienna and went to the famous Leopold art museum. Vienna was a very regal city. There were countless museums and historical buildings, for they have been a center of cultural importance for centuries.

1st Article of the Rights of the People

Vienna

Schönbrunn

I want to thank Mr. Paolicchi for organizing our exchange. I'm also grateful for Herr Dougherty. For three years now, he's continued to teach me about the German language and culture, while furthering my passion and aptitude for it. However, if it were not for the Wilson family, I wouldn't have had the opportunity for such an experience. I'll carry this memory and gratitude forever.

Jacob Kovick Spain 2016

Jacob Kovick EIL Spain

My trip to Spain truly began with the gathering of the group in New York City. We met at the airport several hours before our flight to Spain, so that we were all at least acquainted with each other and the level of Spanish of our group. I immediately noticed that even though everyone in the group had had two years of Spanish, like me, Jackson Satz and I were miles ahead in all parts of the language. This detail made it difficult at times to speak fluid Spanish with the group, sort of the opposite of what I had originally expected, which was to be difficult to keep up with a higher level of the language. However, it is also a testament to the fantastic language program we have at MBA. The group as a whole was quite anxious to finally get to Spain, and hop right into the culture and the full language immersion.

Madrid (Days 1-3)

Upon arriving in Madrid after the grueling seven hour flight, we were greeted immediately by the intense Spanish heat and business of the big city. As we sleepily gathered our bags, we prepared for a long first day of sightseeing and cultural immersion. Throughout  our three day orientation stay in Madrid, we saw almost every major landmark, including El Palacio Real, El Prado Museum, and La Reina Sofia. These visits served not only as fantastic sightseeing, but also as great opportunities to learn numerous reasons as to why Spain is as it is. During the free time in Madrid, I spent much of my time walking around and exploring the different types of shops, restaurants and much more. This was a great experience to see and try new things, and to re-immerse myself in the Spanish language. Right off the bat, I noticed the difference in the Spanish that we have learned and the language spoken in Spain: new verb conjugations, accents, and much more. We also used this time to acclimate to the Spanish schedule of late lunches and late dinners, due to the siestas and late sunsets. Throughout the city, I began to notice the amounts of poverty and lack in wealth throughout the city, and what would be the country as a whole. This feature was complemented by my learning that Spain is one of the poorer countries in Europe, due to its past governing and much more. However, Madrid is a beautiful city, and served as a great place to get to know the group, and begin our stay in Spain. 

El Palacio Real

Toledo (Day 4)

On our way to Andalucía, we stopped for a few hours in the ancient capital of Spain, Toledo, to explore some of the history and monuments there. Adding on to my knowledge of Spain from Modern Euro history, we learned more about the relationship between the Spanish state, the Catholics, and the Moors (Muslims). Here, we were given the freedom to explore the city and walk around. We saw some beautiful buildings and views, which complemented the history and beauty of Spain. The amount of amazing artisan projects and art there showed the change from the history of the city to where it is now. Finally, we departed more towards the south for the bulk of our stay in Spain. 

Overlooking Toledo's palace and cathedral

Granada (Days 5-17)

Having arrived in Granada the night before, we were tired yet ready to begin a more constant routine in living the Spanish lifestyle. For the first day, we began the daily routine of morning classes, followed by lunch, siesta and different fun activities throughout the night. The group stayed in the dorms of a boarding school in Albayzín, the Arabic-influenced part of Granada. However, it was an easy walk to any of the three parts of the city, as we would do almost every night.

During the cultural classes we learned about the heavy Muslim influence in southern Spain, the significance of bulls to Spain, and about the Flamenco. Our first big group activity was a visit to La Alhambra, a massive, ancient Muslim fortress which the Christians would conquer later in history. The construction feats and the views were magnificent and was a true demonstration of some of the culture contrasts of which we had learned. Then, one other night, we went out in the city to see a flamenco show at one of the most famous flamenco bars in Spain. The rhythm, speed, and emotion of the dance were indescribable. Another artistic experience we had was a gymkhana, a massive scavenger hunt around the whole city. The objective was to see the difference between vandalism and the graffiti. Due to the difference in social classes and resources available, much of the graffiti was beautiful art which displayed the true, anonymous, attitudes of the people. I also talked a little fútbol with my awesome teacher, Juanfe. I expanded on my previous knowledge of the Spanish league by learning that the rivalries were more about the intense mutual hatred between cities instead of the teams themselves. The classes were a great way to learn more about some of what we had been seeing and would see.

The group in front of La Alhambra

During the afternoons and nighttimes, we filled our stay with plenty of activities, planned and unplanned. Each day we would have a full group activity, which was run by our group leaders and also our Spanish leaders. These ranged anywhere from water balloon fights to spending entire half-days at the beach. My favorite activity was the day when Arturo, one of the Spanish leaders, invited several Spaniards to come to our dorms and play soccer, basketball and much more with us. After this visit, these same Spaniards of our age continued to return for more of our activities and would also take us out into their city at night. Most of these nights we would go walk around the city and hang out in parks or go with the girls shopping. (I forgot to mention that our group contained just three guys, including myself, and nine girls). Because of this detail, the boys often found ourselves having to make our own fun because we were heavily outnumbered. The group became accustomed to the city very quickly though. Before we knew it, we had found favorite restaurants and ice cream places, just as if we were living in our own home cities. By the time we had to leave Granada, everyone was sad to leave our new Spanish friends. However, we were also excited to finally meet our Spanish families and I was pumped to mostly lose English for the next 10 days.

The Beautiful Mediterranean from the beach at Salobreño

At the Center of Granada 

Guadix (Homestay) (Days 18-28)

We woke up on the morning of the travel day, and immediately left for a one hour drive to our homestay city of Guadix. Upon arrival, we noticed the significant difference in size and population between the two cities. Our host families greeted us with hugs and double-cheek kisses (a commonality in Spain). From there we were on our own with the families, and truly living and acting as a Spaniard for the next ten days. As I got to know my family, I learned that both my host brother, José, and my sister, Cristina, either had learned or were learning English, respectively. For the first two days of my stay, my brother had his final two English exams so we agreed to speak English and Spanish to help him study. Through this, I learned that even while José spoke very very well and Cristina was learning, the majority of Spanish students take English only because it is mandatory in school, and do not progress very far. Also, when I thought that Spanish couldn't get any more different, it continued to change. Guadix has its own dialect, which they call "Guadixismo". Through this, many s's become silent because of the speaking speed, there is a lisp on any soft c's and all z's, and many words were shortened. For example, "Más o menos, me gusta hablar el español para mejorarlo todo" (more or less, I like to speak Spanish to improve all of it) becomes "Ma o meno, me guta hablar español pa mejorarlo to". Needless to say, this was very difficult to learn, but came easier as time passed.
 Each day, the group would all gather, along with host brothers and sisters, and participate in several different and exciting activities. These ranged from community service, to going hiking, to going to the beach. The highlight of these activities, for me, was our visit to Castril. There we began by hiking through a mountain range and seeing some of the amazing views of the plains. At the top of one of the mountains, there was an awesome pool where we spent the rest of the day swimming, playing cards and enjoying the nature. During the days, when we weren't at an activity, José and I would typically go hang out at the pool because of the heat. There we would swim and play cards with his friends, some of which I got to know pretty well through my time spent with them. At nights, we would typically go out with his friends or with the group for tapas, and then either go hang out in the park and play games or go to parties throughout the city. Because of this, tapas quickly became one of my favorite foods. The sense of community in Guadix was something that I had never experienced. Everybody knew everyone and all were good friends, for the most part. Therefore, when one town celebrated, so did everyone. I was lucky enough to experience this one night with my brother and the rest of the Americans at the Fiestas de Santa Ana.
The homestay was truly a life-changing and memorable experience as I learned so much about myself and about the amazing Spanish culture. All the families were sad to part, and as we all left, we realized that we only had one more Spanish night to live up in Madrid. 

Hiking in Castril

The Boys and our Brothers

The Return (Days 29-30)

Finally, we spent our last night back in Madrid. We arrived mid-afternoon and proceeded to shop and walk around until dark, while spending as much time together as a group as possible. We spent our last night talking into late hours at El Retiro, the same park at which we began our journey as strangers. We left the next morning with a long day of travel ahead of us, including almost missing our flight back to America because of a broken train. As we arrived in the States, emotions built up, if they hadn't been already, and everyone was sad to leave the family we had created over the past month. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I knew I would definitely miss Spain and all it had given me, but I was happy to be back on home soil. 

Thank You

Firstly, I would like to thank Sr. Paolicchi and Sr. Kamm for all that they have taught me about the wonderful language that is Spanish. It has already opened so many doors for me, and I am sure it will continue to do so. Also, many thanks to Sra. Victoria and Sr. Paolicchi for all the hard work they put in to ensure that everything went smoothly on the detailed end. Thanks to Montgomery Bell Academy and the Spanish department for selecting me to go on this trip, and enhance my language skills.

Also, I am sincerely grateful to the Wilson Family and its generosity for sending me on this trip. It means so much to me, and many more that we are financially able, and have the opportunity to go on trips like these, because of this. Much appreciation. 

Lastly, thank you to everyone I met as a part of my trip, either through The Experiment, or the Spanish people. Thanks to José and my amazing homestay family for accepting me, and making me an honorary Spaniard for a week and a half. You all made my time there one to remember. 

Daniel Cowan: Spain

Arrival in Spain - June 25/26

The seven hour flight from Boston to Madrid seemed to take an eternity. I was deathly afraid to travel to another country to speak Spanish in an immersion program with people I've never met, but I was certainly ready for the challenge. We landed in Madrid at 6:30 am local time, and while all of us were zombies due to the jet lag, we had the whole day in front of us. We hopped on a bus and drove 4 hours to our college, Ave Maria Casa Madre, in Granada, stopping for breakfast on the way. All of the students got to know each other immediately - we got settled in our rooms, met our roommates, met our counselors, and went straight into team-building exercises. After the typical get-to-know-you games and the warming up of our Spanish speaking skills, we were given free time, and we started the tradition of playing a game of handball during this 'tiempo libre.' They took our phones, which might have been the hardest part of the trip, but seeing how tight our group was after just one day, I felt like I wouldn't be needing my phone much at all. I was right.

Quick stop for breakfast on the way to Granada, everyone dawning the orange shirts of Middlebury Interactive Languages

The patio on which we played soccer, handball, and basketball, with an amazing view of La Alhambra

The Weekday Routine

On weekdays, I woke up at 7:45 to shower, dress, and be the first one to breakfast at 8:30. Every day, the kitchen offered Frosted Flakes, Cocoa Krispies, fruit, milk, and coffee to eat and drink, and every day, I entered the dining room, grabbed a bowl, poured my milk and Frosted Flakes, and ate before the mass of students came to 'desayunar' - eat breakfast. My friends and I would often play 'eliminación' - a soccer game much like a penalty shootout, but you are eliminated if you cannot score as a shooter and make a save as the goalie - before the morning assembly. The camp leaders would tell us about the activities of the day and make announcements, and to end it off, the whole camp would always dance to a number of different songs. Next were classes - I would walk every day after assembly to 'aula 6,' classroom 6, to the class of Carmen, my 'profesora' for the 4 weeks of camp. For three hours, we learned about Spanish culture, including what Spaniards eat, how they learn and progress through school, how Spanish immigration works, and how the economy is different from that of the United States (or Great Britain, as there was one girl who was from England). We were placed into cultural exploration classes each week, so after class, we went to our assigned class for an hour to learn the Spanish culture through hands-on activities. During week one I did a class called the art of gastronomy, which taught the Mediterranean Diet (what the eat in Spain and countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea) through art activities; during week two I did a photography class and was able to see and take photos of the beautiful city of Granda; and during week three I did a clay molding class, and in addition to making things with clay, we were given the opportunity to go out to a shop and watch Spanish clay molders in action. After classes and lunch, we were given free time (normally used to nap or talk to friends, because the heat barred us from doing things outside), and after free time we always had activities to do before dinner. After dinner was the perfect time to play sports or stargaze, because the temperature was perfect every night. We were all in bed by 11:30, ready to do the routine over again.

Our level 4 class with teacher Carmen

My teacher, Carmen, and I

Activities and Weekend Excursions

Every weekday after free time, there were a list of activities to choose from and participate in. The lists varied - we all did a cooking class, and there were also a bracelet-making class, a keychain-making class, a CrossFit class, a calligraphy class, a mask-making class, and several others. We were also given the opportunity to go to the city almost every day in groups alone to eat, get ice cream, or go to the mall. Because the Euro Cup soccer tournament was going on during camp, we frequently watched games together after dinner. Sports were an almost daily activity - games of handball, soccer, basketball, and 'eliminación,' described earlier. took place frequently on the patio. We had three parties, the first being when we invited real Spanish students to the campus to dance and better our speaking skills, the second being a dance competition, and the third was the farewell party. Each weekend we took a different trip - the first weekend was Fourth of July weekend, so on Sunday we had a scavenger hunt in which we rotated through different stations with a different task in hopes of finishing all the stations first (and ended that with a really fun water fight), and on Monday, the Fourth of July, we went to both a city called Frigiliana to eat and visit a very old church and the beach in a city called Nerja. The second weekend, we visited the Alhambra, which is an ancient city and fortress, and made bread in a city famous for bread-making, Alfacar. The third weekend we went back to the beach, but in Málaga as opposed to Nerja. The last weekend, we had another scavenger hunt, but this time it was a city-wide hunt that had us visiting the most prominent features and places of the city, including the Cathedral and the 'Banuelos.' Classes were undoubtedly a great experience, but for me, the activities were how I made friends and how I got to know the Spanish culture, and those are what I'll remember most.

At the beach in Nerja, holding our counselor, Jose

Breathtaking views on a hike before making bread Week 2

Bread-making fun in Alfacar Week 2

A large majority of the guys at camp - there were only about 25 of us total

A Big Thank You

Upon arrival back in the United States, I realized all that this trip has done for me: I have a deeper knowledge and understanding of Spanish, can converse with native speakers, have a greater appreciation for the Spanish culture and foreign cultures in general, and have broadened my horizons in a way that, before MBA, I did not think possible for me. I have to thank Middlebury and everyone associated with the program for making this immersion experience in Spain the best it could possibly have been. I also want to thank Sr. Kamm for advancing my comprehension and skill of the Spanish language to the point where it was possible for me to make this trip. Many thanks also to Sr. Paolicchi for handling the complicated processes leading up to the trip and getting everything done so smoothly, and finally, a huge thank you to the Wilson family for allowing me and everyone else the opportunity to travel and learn in this way - it truly is a blessing, and I'll never forget this experience.

The end of an unforgettable month

Joe McMahan in Deutschland

Joe McMahan

Joe McMahan in Deutschland

Upon Arrival in Wiesbaden

On Sunday, July 19th, we flew into the Frankfurt airport, and were greeted by our families and the leaders of the Humboldt Schule exchange program on the German side. I met my family, who were very generous and kind, the dad even asked to carry my luggage which I gratefully declined, and we drove directly to their house where they showed me around my house and to my living space. The first couple days trying to understand native German speakers all the time did not come so easy, but the family and my piers at the Humboldt Schule were patient with me and would explain something to me if I did not understand a word or phrase.

The Marktkirche in the town center of Wiesbaden

The Humboldt Schule

In the morning for the first three periods of every school day the American students would all have our own private German lessons from native speakers, which helped our German learning a lot too. In the afternoon of each school day we would either shadow our host brothers for the rest of their classes or we would go on some daily excursions that were selected for us Americans. We had several daily trips into the city for activities like climbing to the top of the Neroburg mountain overlooking Wiesbaden or meeting the mayor in the town hall.

The Russian Church on the top of Neroburg overlooking Wiesbaden

The city hall of Wiesbaden where we met the mayor 

We had several other trips with the group of Harpeth Hall girls that were also at the Humboldt Schule.  We went to several of the neighboring cities like Heidelberg and Mainz. Heidelberg was a great old town with a beautiful architecture and the unique castle the overlooked the whole town. Mainz, where Gutenberg invented the printing press, was one of the oldest cities in Germany,

Picture take from the Heidelberg Castle overlooking the town

The statue in the Heidelberg Town Square with the Heidelberg Castle in the background

Picture of the Astonishing Cathedral in Mainz

Through the school I also had the chance to meet new friends in a different language. This experience was very beneficial because I built strong friendships and still keep in contact with them, and it was great German practice conversing in German with people my age in their native language.

My German Host Family

As I said before my family was great, because they were very generous and patient any slip ups in German I may had but still helped me learn from any mistakes I might make. The family was so generous that the even took me on several trips to Frankfurt, Berlin, and Rudesheim am Rhein. I went to Frankfurt twice, once with my host brother to watch the German National soccer team in the Frankfurt soccer arena and once with my host father to give me his own personal tour of the financial capital of Germany. My host family was so generous that one weekend my family even took me on a trip to Berlin the biggest, most historical city in Germany. The trip was very educational plus a lot of fun because we saw many museums and went to a public viewing of the German national soccer team in the European cup tournament. Rudeheim am Rhein was also a beautiful town with several castles built on the Rhein river.

The Beautiful Skyline of Frankfurt and the tallest building in Germany

The Famous Brandenburger Tor in Germany

Me with my Host brother in mother in front of a monument in Rudesheim am Rhein

Our Last week in Europe - Travel Week

On the last week we, Herr Dougherty and the rest of the MBA students in Germany, went to Munich and Vienna, Austria. This last week of the trip was a ton of fun and also very educational, because we got to see all the historic monuments and Herr Dougherty also taught us about many things in the German Language and Culture. Our first stop was the capital city of Bavaria, Munich. The city was a great cultural center of southern Germany, and had many beautiful aspects.

The Beautiful Marion Platz in the center of Munich

View of the 1972 Munich Olympic park

Vienna was the capital city of the Holy Roman Empire and The Austro-Hungarian Empire, so we were able to learn extensive facts and develop new perspectives of European History. Vienna is a vibrant city with so many different beautiful buildings and with a great story behind every one. After seeing many different museums in Vienna and all the cities sights, we left from there and headed back to the States

Stefanskirche in the city center of Vienna

Karskirche on of the biggest and most ornate churches in vienna

Schloss Schönbrunn - the place of the Holy Roman Empire and Austro-Hungarian Empire

Thanks

This trip was the best experience of my life thus far, because I built relationships in a different language and culture, got to experience German culture first hand, learned much more german, and had fun seeing all the sights I have read about in my German books. Thank you so very much for this opportunity to have a spectacular experience in a foreign land.