Students at Sandy Creek High School had some visitors

recently. Bill Bryan's German class played host to german students

from Braunschweig, Germany for the last three weeks. For some of

the German students, this was their first taste of America, and

for some of the Americans, this was their first time living with

someone with many cultural differences between them.

"The kids always seem to grow into the experience in very

unexpected ways," said Bryan. "There must be negotiation,

flexibility and compromise." The teachers from Germany, Wilifried

Jescke and Frank Reinke, have been associated with many

exchanges with America and find many positive benefits. This was

Jeschke's fourth exchange with Sandy Creek. "By immersing

themselves in a foreign culture, the students are forced to accept things and

to learn," said Jeschke. "They see the differences in school, religious

services and even in the youth culture."

The German students have responded positively to this part

of the exchange. Before they made their trip, the students had an

extra class once a week where the American culture and

southern culture in particular was explained. "We talked about the

term "Bible Belt" and discussed Baptists. Most of the students

are Lutherans," Jeschke explained. "Some of the kids really

liked American church services and were very impressed, often

asking to go with the families that were attending services."

The German students enjoyed the classes at sandy Creek as

well. After a certain point, attending classes was not necessary for

the german kids and yet they continued to show up, in many

different classes, ranging from Spanish to Science. They have had their

share of fun and excitement as well, going to Hawks games,

Braves games, the Renaissance Festival, Savannah, the north

georgia mountains and, the pinnacle of the metro Atlanta

experience, Little Five Points.

When talking directly with the students, this reporter found

that the German kids had found many things they liked and disliked

in America. One student, Andreas, was quite impressed by how

much fast food is around the United States. It was his birthday

last Wednesday, the day before they returned to Germany. "This is

the first time that I haven't been with my parents on my birthday,"

he said. "I am surounded by nice people though and I am having

a good time."

All of the students, American and German, seemed to have

a good time and it was hard to determine which group was

which. They played guitar, shot pool, listened to music, laughed, it was

a world party that this reporter encountered and it felt good.

When asked what they thought of American schools, many of the

German kids responed by saying that "there is more hanging out

at school" and "students are less disciplined."

It would have been remiss to not get their feelings on

the Littleton Tragedy and the fear that it struck in schools across

the country. Many of them talked about the coverage of the

tragedy on television, saying that there was too much coverage.

Herr Jeschke told of one girl who took a picture of the flag at half

mast the day after the shooting. They had talked about the incident

and the girl realized that it could happen anywhere. The shooting

was very difficult for everybody, especially for Herr Bryan, who

had to try and explain the situation, a situation that is inconceivable

in Europe.

Despite the strange incidents in schools following the tragedy,

the exchange trip was unmarred and the students, both American

and German, look forward to meeting again in Germany this

summer. The Sandy Creek students will travel to Braunschweig in

five weeks for a three week stay. They will make a trip to Berlin, the

new capital of Germany, and also get to see a tour of the newly

opened Reichstag, The German Parliament. While seeing their

new found friends and touring Europe are on their minds, so is the

situation in Kosovo.

The teachers of both classes are just immensely proud of their

students. They get rewarded when the kids continue their

correspondence with their foreign peers, or when one student remarks

that they still dream in German. All teachers, both German and

American, concur that they know why they get involved year after

year.: the kids.

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