As the 1st semester is almost ending, many students in New Ulm High School are happy they only have half a school year left. Well, other students are having a fun time and would rather not have the school year end.

From Germany to the United States two new foreign exchange students, Jakob and Jule, enjoy watching sports and making new friends. These two German teens are spending their senior year in New Ulm, attending New Ulm High School. Thanks to their host families and new friends along the way, these students are exposed to a slice of American culture.

16-year-old Jakob Geiss was a student in Germany, and now is experiencing American life in a new school for a year. “School life is one of the biggest changes coming from Germany to America,” Jakob said.  He then explained that school life is his favorite thing about America. Jakob loves the school sports games, and how everyone is hyped in the student section.

17-year-old Jule, a foreign exchange student from Germany, had the same opinion as Jakob. “One of the biggest changes coming from Germany was the school system, teachers here acknowledge you more,” Jule said. Her favorite part of America is the school sports and games, and how you dress up for certain themes.

Jakob and Jule have been in the US for 3 months and have noticed a lot of differences between here and there. One is transportation. In Germany students have to be older to drive, so they use a lot of public transportation at their age. Seeing a school parking lot full of student cars was something both Jule and Jakob found fascinating.

Another big change they both brought up was how nice people are in public. “No person in Germany would ask how you are doing, or even speak to you,” if they didn’t know you, Jule said.

Jakob and Jule have just about one semester in, and they are looking forward to all the new experiences they will have in semester two.