TOWAMENCIN- Riding past the Friday night lights in a yellow school bus bursting with excitement, 43 Germans arrived at NPHS just in time for the football game to a crowd of over 100 people. As part of an annual two-week exchange program with two partnership schools from Germany, the North Penn High School community welcomed the students with open arms.

With equal student representation from a northern and southern school, the German exchange students arrived on Friday, October 14^th and will enjoy a busy two weeks of spending time with their host family, in school, and on day trips until their departure date of Friday, October 28^th.

For many of the students, the two-week exchange proves to be the opportunity of a lifetime. Knowing that the period of time isn’t too much time spent away from home, German exchange student Hannah Cerbe explained that she was eager to embark on this adventure that would allow her the opportunity to stay with a host family and experience a new school.

“I always wanted to go abroad,” explained Cerbe. “When I was younger, both of my two older brothers went for one year to the North Penn High School. Because I couldn’t do the one-year exchange, me and my parents decided that I can do the two-week exchange, but I still want to go for one year abroad; it is an amazing experience, and you learn a lot of things about the other culture and language. I hope that after my final exam I can do a gap year, and go in another country.”

Cerbe went on to explain that she aspires to learn more about the American culture, the people, and the English language during her stay. Recalling the visit to the Liberty Bell that she and the 42 other students made, Cerbe also mentioned that expanding her knowledge of American history and the factors that define America are several goals of hers.

Commenting on the general mindset of the people she has met so far, Cerbe explained that she has been pleased by the positivity illustrated by the people she has met during her stay.

“I really like the mentality of the people,” explained Cerbe. “It is so easy here to do whatever you want to do. In Germany a lot of people try to hold you back from doing something different; they built their own opinion and are very skeptical. I heard about the musical the North Penn High School is doing every year. At our [German] school, something like this probably doesn’t work, not just because we don’t have many pupils, but also because we aren’t so open about new things.”

Not only do the exchange students like Cerbe prove to be taking advantage of their exchange experience, but also the host families. Because of her mother’s experience as an exchange student in high school, Melina Calarco, sophomore at NPHS, and her family decided to apply to host a German student. Ultimately, Calarco and her family were matched with Cerbe, which has proven to be an exciting, educational experience.

“I hope to gain some knowledge on what life is like for a teen in Germany [and] also see things from a different point of view,” stated Calarco. “I want to see how an exchange affects a person, too, because some of my friends are doing the year program from IFC [International Friendship Committee].”

Visiting the Philly Pretzel Factory and Main Street in Lansdale, carving jack-o-lanterns, and baking chocolate chip cookies, Calarco has introduced Cerbe to some of the typical locations and activities that a NPHS student visits and participates in. While Calarco has been dedicated to sharing the American culture with Cerbe, the German exchange student has proven to educate her host sister.

“I feel like there’s this stereotype where the German language sounds harsh and angry, and we assume that the people speaking that language are angry,” explained Calarco. “But that stereotype is very untrue; Hannah and her friends are very nice, and were shocked when we mentioned the stereotype. All of the German students speak very good English, which has affirmed my belief that we should start learning another language in American schools while we are younger.”

Proving to be an educational and cultural enriching experience for both the exchange students and host families, the two-week German exchange program demonstrates the success that the International Friendship Committee (IFC) strives for. Andrew Baker, German teacher at NPHS, and Judith McGuriman, guidance counselor at NPHS, are the advisers from the IFC at NPHS and dedicate an unimaginable quantity of time preparing and organizing for the arrival of the German exchange studnets.

Encountering host families, obtaining clearances and background checks, planning a variety of trips for the two-week time period, informing parents, and more are just a few of the tasks that the two execute in order to make the exchange a memorable experience. Some of the trips planned for the German students include a visit to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Lancaster, Gettysburg, the corn maze at Merrymead Farm, New York, King of Prussia Mall, and more. Not only that, but the students will be given a showcase of NPHS.

“The students are now seeing all of the classes and teachers, and the chaperones are also stopping in on a couple of classes,” explained Baker. “They’re going to be given a special event. The things that make North Penn really special, that really set us apart, are going to be taken advantage of. I think it’s awesome, because some of the teachers are doing it in their free period. Even some of the teachers who aren’t participating still offered their time, which is super meaningful.”

Considering the amount of positivity illustrated throughout the North Penn community to welcome the German exchange students, Baker reflected on his favorite aspect of the program: the relationships formed.

“I love that a lot of the people that are interacting, like the host families, aren’t German, and they’re not taking German,” explained Baker. “It’s this idea where they get to have fun; they get to meet a best friend that they never knew they had. After two weeks, both sides are crying as the bus pulls away.”

As a German teacher, Baker also cherishes the fact that NPHS students have the opportunity to meet and communicate with German students, who are their age, allowing both parties to compare their teenage experiences. He explained that in his AP German class, it’s two Americans to one German, which is an uncommon ratio that students encounter.

Over the course of the two weeks, Baker explained his desire for both parties to undergo eye-opening experiences regarding a new life that will offer a new perspective.

“There’s many things that make language amazing, but I think above everything else, it’s the people,” said Baker. “When you think of a cruise and sight see and take pictures, and you eat food, it feels like a very surface level experience. [Going abroad] is a give and take, and you feel more connected, and you get more out of it. You get a better sense of the country.”