Photo by Priyanka Makin
The German Exchange is on again this spring.
Every year, Red Mountain High School (RMHS) trades 18 of its students with Gymnasiasts from Hamburg, Germany. They all return from the German American Partnership Program (GAPP) with more savvy.
Rodney Cole, department chair of World Languages and German instructor at RMHS, has taken students to Germany for more than 20 years. He is as excited about the next German trip, from May 27 through June 19, as he was with the first tour.
The GAPP exchange, with Gymnasium Ohmoor, in Hamburg, started in 1992. Herr Cole (Herr is German for Mister) discovered, “… how wonderful Hamburg was,” through Henrik Baark, a German exchange student at RMHS.
“The first trip, in 1993, was a little scary,” Herr Cole said, “because I was the only chaperone, and didn’t know Hamburg.” To avoid mishaps, he tested out the after-school activities a day ahead. Soon, a second staffer was recruited to guide the group.
Now, Herr Cole knows Hamburg—where he spent a year as Fulbright teacher in 1994—like the back of his hand. He lets his students explore the city, and acquire a taste for the German way of life.
This March, another Ohmoor group will come to stay with their RMHS host families. After a three-week whirlwind program, departure usually catches people by surprise. Tears roll at the Phoenix airport, but, “We will soon meet again.”
When the Mesa kids arrive in Hamburg in May, they feel right at home with their hosts. Also, Herr Cole usually makes good on his promise to “… walk the students ragged.” He insists his travelers pack sturdy walking shoes.
And off they go. Students may explore the wee hours of the Hamburg fish market, sample marzipan in Lübeck, test out the beach baskets of Travemünde, or touch the legendary Berlin wall.
They then march to the Ohlsdorf (Hamburg) cemetery. “History gets a lot more personal when you read those headstones,” Herr Cole said. Right away, his students learn to use public transportation, and add scores of new vocabulary to their notebooks.
For the next trip, Herr Cole already has put the island of Sylt, in the North Sea, on the list and, for sure, famous Berlin sights. Spots in the German exchange fill up quickly.
Herr Cole guides probably the biggest German program in the state. He teaches six German classes, including two Level III sections. His alumni made good use of German. For example, one secured an internship at BMW, and two are becoming German teachers.
“When these kids come back from the GAPP exchange, they see the world differently,” Herr Cole said. And their memories will last a lifetime.
EXPERIENCES
“Going to Germany and meeting my host sister were some of my favorite moments of my life. I learned about German culture, and the lives of average teenagers. It was worth all of the planning and cost.” – Nathan Wright
“Going to Berlin and staying at a youth hostel, mixing with the other teenagers, was the highlight for me. We became close friends in our group. I enjoyed the famous Fischmarkt (Hamburg), and counting up all 200 steps to the Friedensengel (Angel of Peace) in Berlin.” – Priyanka Makin
“My experience in Germany was amazing. It was my first time being out of the United States, and I was really nervous. But it helped me having my friends and host sister by my side the whole time. I never will forget the experience because I made many lifelong friendships, and found a second family.” – Nick Shurtz