Letter: May Day celebration is a Germany highlight
I have been in Crailsheim Germany for 10 months now. I have experienced so much and am looking forward to what is yet to come!By: Nicole Janssen, Crailsheim exchange student, Worthington Daily Globe
- Nicole Janssen
I have been in Crailsheim Germany for 10 months now. I have experienced so much and am looking forward to what is yet to come!
During Easter break from school I stayed with the Mayer family. Here I had twin sisters — Jana and Larissa (14) — and a host mom, Angelika. In this week we did many things: We went to a water park, visited Dinkelsbühl (an old city near Crailsheim that wasn’t destroyed in Word War II), and toured a 3-D museum. On Easter we went to church and then to their grandparents’ house. For me it was a little bit exhausting because everyone there was talking with a difficult dialect, and I didn’t understand very much. I had a great week with the Mayers!
While living with the Meiser family we made some trips. We went to Palm Beach (an indoor water park), saw how the farmers used to live way back in 1551, and visited Rothenburg (a beautiful old city). I also had the opportunity to celebrate May Day! On May Day, every town/village puts up a “May tree,” and in most of the villages the neighbors grill together. There is also the old tradition that the kids/teens go out and pull pranks such as doorbell ditching, throwing toilet paper in the trees and streets, or moving things around in the neighbors’ yard.
On May 9 I moved to my fourth and last host family, the Lamparters. I am now living in the city part of Crailsheim with host mom Andrea and host sister Laura (14). It was difficult to move away from the Meisers’, but I am already settled in and enjoying life with the Lamparters. On May 13, we didn’t have school because of Pentecost. I spent two days with David Etzel and his family. David will be the Crailsheim exchange student I bring home with me. We made homemade Maultaschen (a traditional German food) and potato salad for the church; I went to church with them and spent time getting to know the family.
I am really having the experience of a lifetime as the exchange student and meeting many wonderful people. I love Germany!
During Easter break from school I stayed with the Mayer family. Here I had twin sisters — Jana and Larissa (14) — and a host mom, Angelika. In this week we did many things: We went to a water park, visited Dinkelsbühl (an old city near Crailsheim that wasn’t destroyed in Word War II), and toured a 3-D museum. On Easter we went to church and then to their grandparents’ house. For me it was a little bit exhausting because everyone there was talking with a difficult dialect, and I didn’t understand very much. I had a great week with the Mayers!
While living with the Meiser family we made some trips. We went to Palm Beach (an indoor water park), saw how the farmers used to live way back in 1551, and visited Rothenburg (a beautiful old city). I also had the opportunity to celebrate May Day! On May Day, every town/village puts up a “May tree,” and in most of the villages the neighbors grill together. There is also the old tradition that the kids/teens go out and pull pranks such as doorbell ditching, throwing toilet paper in the trees and streets, or moving things around in the neighbors’ yard.
On May 9 I moved to my fourth and last host family, the Lamparters. I am now living in the city part of Crailsheim with host mom Andrea and host sister Laura (14). It was difficult to move away from the Meisers’, but I am already settled in and enjoying life with the Lamparters. On May 13, we didn’t have school because of Pentecost. I spent two days with David Etzel and his family. David will be the Crailsheim exchange student I bring home with me. We made homemade Maultaschen (a traditional German food) and potato salad for the church; I went to church with them and spent time getting to know the family.
I am really having the experience of a lifetime as the exchange student and meeting many wonderful people. I love Germany!
Tags: district 518, opinion, letter, crailsheim, education
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