High Life: A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : From Germany, With Love to Balboa

Southern California is one of the greatest places to live. I’m making this observation as an exchange student from Essen, West Germany, participating in the AFS International program.

The Ralph Rodheim family have been my hosts since August in their home on Balboa Island. I remember very well how excited I got when their address arrived at my home in Essen. I tried very hard to locate Balboa Island on a map. After a while, I was able to pinpoint it on a special road map.

I feel very lucky not just to be in California, but on the island of Balboa, surrounded by beaches and beautiful living areas.

I am a senior at Corona del Mar High School, together with three other AFS foreign exchange students. This school’s outstanding AFS chapter, supported by many students and their parents, has been able to host a great number of exchange students annually. Because of this program, my integration into the American lifestyle was made so much easier.

I became interested in an exchange year when I was 13. My older brother in Germany was considering such a program, and although he ended up not going, I had already made my decision to go when I was old enough.

I chose the United States as my host country because of the language and my curiosity about what America really looks like . . . fast food all the time, the TV continually running and kind of a Disneyland-like style all over the place.

Luckily, those expectations didn’t come true.

On the way from Germany to the United States, I talked to a Californian at an airport in New York, and he told me, “If you like surfing, the beach and nice people, you will love Newport Beach.”

That sounded good to me, and I found out he was right.

I have found that high school here is not just a place to study, but also a very social place with lots of activities.

Before coming to America, I had never worn a tuxedo. But during this year, I have worn a tux four times and have also been chauffeured around in sunroofed limos twice. Although it was not the cheapest experience to attend a prom, it was a fun time. Dances like that were a totally new experience for me.

The hardest difference in the academics of school, is the switch from “Queen’s English,” which is generally taught throughout Europe, to “American English,” with all its slang . . . “dude.”

Another difference between school in Corona del Mar and Essen are the hallways--they don’t exist here. I enjoy that very much--to be outside all the time, in between classes and on breaks.

I also experienced the “big deal” of high school athletics as a member of the school’s volleyball team.

Long workouts every day took up most of my time during those three months. I was used to playing volleyball in Germany, but only two times per week in a club. Generally, most of the athletic achievements take place as club sports in Germany, not at school. But even then it is not carried out like here. A few evenings or afternoons during the week, and that’s it.

Although I did not reach the varsity level, I still profited a lot from this experience, seeing athletics from a totally new viewpoint.

During this year I also experienced my first Halloween, complete with shaving cream fights, and Thanksgiving, with lots of turkey. Now I am looking forward to the experience of Fourth of July before heading back to Germany.

Traveling throughout the United States, I have found how special California is and especially Newport Beach, with its close access to the snowy mountains, great ski areas like Mammoth, as well as desert resorts and beautiful national parks like Yosemite.

Let’s not forget the warm and sunny beaches, where I enjoyed spending most of my spare time playing volleyball, trying to surf or just laying back in the sun. Weather is never a problem!

In my city of Essen, I have the forest with a big lake close to my house and downtown not far, either. The coast atmosphere is the biggest difference between the green of Essen and the sandy environment of here. I like both very much, and I hope to come back to Newport Beach frequently on vacation.

On a trip to Denver, I realized the size of the United States. While driving from Los Angeles to Colorado, you could have passed through all of Germany, and almost all of Europe.

Speaking of drives, one of the main differences between our countries is the importance of the car as a means of transportation.

I remember very well when I went shopping with my friend from Sweden, who is also an AFS exchange student. Since we are not allowed to drive in our host countries, we walked 10 minutes to the store. On the way back it was remarkable that people driving by looked at us astonishingly as we carried shopping bags. The side walks seem to have the wrong name in this country. On the other hand, I enjoyed asking nice girls to give me rides home after school.

Going back to Germany in the middle of July, I will have to readjust to different habits.

I will live as an only child, because my older brother is going off to college after I return. Here, I had the experience of having a sister who became one of my closest friends. Megan helped me adapt to my host community. On the first day of school, she showed me around and introduced me to her friends.

It has also been exciting to see with what interest the Americans are following the changes in all of Europe, especially Germany. I have found that, generally, a reunified Germany is favored here.

The opening of the inner German border in November is considered a historical moment, and I am personally delighted about that development. It is a strange feeling to leave Germany and observe one of the most dramatic times in its history from another country, and then, after 11 months, return to a changed homeland.

I will be able to share a great time spent in the United States with my family and friends. It is interesting to meet people from different countries, and it is also very important to establish international friendships.