FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Exchange Rate That Pays Double

Fountain Valley High School students want to change the stereotypes their German peers hold about teen-age Americans. After all, not everyone in this country likes Michael Jackson’s music or is a couch potato.

And 12 German students visiting here want their new American friends to realize they don’t always eat sauerkraut and wear lederhosen in their hometown, Bad Nauheim, 6,000 miles away.

“Building cultural understanding is most important,” said 17-year-old Eike Hahlbohm, who added that he wants to dispel those two stereotypes about Germans.

Ever since the German students--who wear jeans and T-shirts--came to Fountain Valley last week for a monthlong stay, it’s been a mutual exchange of information about cultures.

“I was surprised at how much they like American music, though they don’t always understand what it means,” said Amy Kleckner, 16, who is host of a student.

Senior Brent Wagner, 18, said he’s enjoyed playing host to a student so he can show what teens do for fun.

“There they go to discos and pubs,” he said, adding that the students “think politically” and enjoy discussing philosophy and religion.

Since the arrival of the 11th- and 12th-grade German students from their school, Ernst-Ludwig-Schule, their U.S. hosts and hostesses have given them a taste of hot dogs, tacos and burritos, taken them to the beach and Palm Springs, and taught them American slang.

The German students visited City Hall on Tuesday, and they plan to go to Hollywood today. On spring break next week, they’ll be going with their host families to San Diego, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River.

The school’s German teacher, Guido Reinhard, has organized the exchange program every other year since 1984. Teen-agers from his hometown of Bad Nauheim, near Frankfurt, come to Fountain Valley to stay with his students and their families.

In turn, Reinhard takes his students to Germany to experience life there as guests of the German students. Reinhard, who has taught at Fountain Valley High since 1967, is planning to take five of his students to his homeland in July.

Reinhard said the program has developed invaluable cultural understanding among students.

“It’s not a travel program, it’s an educational program,” Reinhard said, adding it’s also been a “lasting program” because of the friendships made.

Peter Ulrich, who teaches English in Germany and who accompanied the students here, said that while they gain a sense of the American way of life, it is more important that “they get the optimism that exists here.”

“People here have a different attitude than back home,” he said. “And, it’s just more fun here.”

The German students, who presented their city’s flag to the high school, agreed that they’re having a good time.

“The people are much more open, you can make friends easier,” said 18-year-old Judith Wedel.

Wedel also said she is overwhelmed by the size of things in Orange County. Her hometown of 27,000 people is half as large as Fountain Valley.

“Everything is bigger--the schools, the streets, the cars, the houses, the distances.”

Matthias Zerb,17, said his English has improved and he has enjoyed the variety of ethnic foods available.

But he did notice one difference in Americans’ eating habits: “We don’t eat as much fast food,” he said.