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The Bridge Diaries: July 5, 2002
On behalf of the whole West group in the Bridge program, we would like to thank all the people who made this trip possible. Prior to our arrival in Germany, we had many preconceived notions about the German culture, lifestyle and society. Many of us feared that the different cultures that we were representing would be met with aggression. We soon came to see that although we have many differences between our cultures, we also found many similarities. Our time with the German host families opened our eyes to a different world. We discovered that the German people are accepting of cultures that are different from their own. The families were extremely hospitable and met, if not exceded, our expectations. The living conditions were excellent and we were all provided with our own space. However, we never felt isolated from our host families. Our hosts had many surprises in store for us. "My host family even took me to another country...the Netherlands," says Svetlana. We were all warmly welcomed into our host families. As Peter put it, "My host brothers were just like my real brothers at home." Many students noticed various similarities between the American and German cultures. For example, Amiris reflected, "the everyday life I experienced here was practically identical to my everyday life in New York." In regard to the educational system, the group noticed many differences. The determination of German students to succeed in society could be seen in their classroom performance whereas in the United States this may not be as evident. "What really impressed me was their concentration on a specific subject at an early age," says Anthony. German students may leave school after the tenth grade at the age of fifteen or sixteen without much pressure to attend university, seeing as how there are many other paths that do not require college training, such as technical schools or apprenticeship opportunities. In order to achieve success in America, on the other hand, students are required to obtain a far higher education than a high school diploma. Being students of the United States educational system, we were happy to be acquainted with education in Germany. Aside from getting a taste of German education, we also got a taste of many cultural experiences. The students were impressed with the variety of selection in food. The various cheeses, meats, fruits and vegetables made our homestays that much sweeter. We enjoyed hearing German music, watching the World Cup, and touring the nearby cities. All in all, this once-in-a-lifetime experience will remain forever in our memories.
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