Imagine this: you’re in a completely different country, far away from your family and most of your friends. It’s nerve-wracking, but you’re also excited to learn and try new things in a different place. But, nobody comes up to talk to you during the trip, so you don’t even get a full experience of the country you’re visiting. Don’t forget about the opportunity that the school has right now, with the German exchange students here, can be utilized to learn new things from each other. Not only do the German students want to spend time with American students, but SPA students should actively reciprocate those actions to make their trip a bit less divided. Being in a new country is really scary, and interacting with new people can feel that way too. But the benefits wholeheartedly outweigh the costs. 

German students came to the school in order to practice and learn more English. Language immersion is a very effective method to improve language skills according to the New York Times. Therefore, in order to fully immerse the German students, and help them improve their English language skills, SPA students should go up and talk to them.

Beyond just language improvement, German and SPA students have a lot to learn from each other. Coming from two different countries results in numerous cultural differences that can be exciting to explore. There are so many different things that both groups of people can learn from each other.

Because the German students are coming to SPA looking to have experiences with the school’s students, students should spend time with the exchange students in order to help them get the most out of their time at SPA. 

Interactions with the German exchange students can be very casual. SPA students should approach the German student and ask a little bit about them in between classes. Even a “hi” in the hallway can go a long way. Ultimately, the German exchange, and recent Spanish exchange, are opportunities for the exchange students, as well as the SPA community, to learn more about other people and places. It’s important to take advantage of this opportunity and make sure the exchange students enjoy their time at SPA.