High School USA Blog

Guten Morgen readers, Since being in Germany I have been doing a lot of poem writing. My poems help me digest my emotions and serve as a good record of...keep reading

Winter has arrived here in Germany. The sun sets at 4:00 pm, and the shades of orange and crimson that graced Oldenburg last month have faded into grey. I’m working...keep reading

I’ve been in German high school, or Gymnasium, for nearly one month now. Naturally, everyday life in Gymnasium has quite a few differences from American highschools. Though mundane, one of...keep reading

Before leaving on my exchange year, I was told that if I took one thing from our Oreintation Seminars it should be that "Culture Shock is real and you will...keep reading

Today, Germans elected their federal representatives in the Bundestagswahl. I accompanied my host mom to our neighborhood Wahllokal, and while she was voting, I reflected on some of the opportunities...keep reading

At orientation one month ago, our Betreuerschaft prepared us for the highs and lows of culture shock. In a thought process that was equal parts excitement and naivete, I assumed...keep reading

Hallo! Today is my 3-week anniversary in Germany! Although it’s only been 3 weeks, I do feel quite settled here. I think I know my way around Hamburg a bit...keep reading

Here in Germany, we’re in the midst of election season. Germans are preparing to elect their federal, regional, and municipal representatives. I’ve learned a lot about the culture surrounding politics...keep reading

Hallo leute! I am in my fourth week in Germany and my third week in school and have already realized that Germans highly value technology and efficiancy. My German Gymnasium...keep reading

Moin! To start, I found out that the word ‘Moin’ is primarily used in Northern Germany. I had never heard it in my German classes before arriving so it was...keep reading