Growing up in Berlin, Germany, Jonathan Strauch (11), had only ever seen America through a TV screen, absorbing a variety of ideas, stereotypes, and representations about a country that he’d never set foot in. For the past two months, however, he’s got to experience being an American high-school student, living with a host family, and embracing American culture firsthand.
One of the main reasons for Strauch’s exchange year was his keenness to improve his English. In Germany, English is taught in schools; however, by living in America, Strauch said he has felt a major improvement in his ability to speak the language.
“I only knew English from learning it at school in Germany, but I feel like I’ve improved,” Strauch said. “If you’re forced to speak the language all the time, you’re going to get better. ”
Strauch’s mom also played a large role in his eagerness to come to the US.
“When I brought up the idea, my mother really liked it and supported me, and it became a bit of a partner project,” Strauch said. “I had to make a lot of appointments with my doctor for the exchange program, and she helped with all the papers.”
Strauch’s exchange program randomly assigned destinations within the US, and Strauch has been very satisfied with his placement thus far.
“I got really lucky,” Strauch said. “I mean, San Diego is definitely where you’d want to go in America. I really like the school and the area.”
The adjustment to life in the U.S. was tough, but Strauch said it was much easier with a hospitable host family.
“Meeting my host family for the first time, I was pretty nervous because I was going to live with them for an entire year, but they really welcomed me,” Strauch said. “Because I got assigned a sibling my age, it’s a little bit easier.”
Strauch’s host sister, Hannah Clay (12), said that hosting an exchange student was something she had been very excited about.
“I’ve been wanting to host an exchange student for a long time, and my parents said that once both my siblings graduated, we could host one,” Clay said.
Before their first face-to-face meeting at San Diego Airport, Strauch and his host family held video conferences to get to know each other. After his arrival, Strauch realized that his favorite activities revolve around attending Westview.
Strauch knew he wanted to participate in a sport that wasn’t popular in Germany. After some debating, he ended up choosing to try wrestling.
“I really like the wrestling team,” Strauch said. “I had never wrestled before, so it was a completely new experience, but I think I’m learning quickly.”
Participating in a school sport was unfamiliar to Strauch, as sports and most extracurriculars in Germany are all completely separate from school.
“Everything here is based around the schools, like the sports,” Strauch said. “Being in school all the time and then coming back on Fridays for football games really surprised me.”
Strauch is also taking full advantage of Westview’s vast course catalog, by taking classes that are not offered in Germany’s strictly academic school system, including Graphic Design and Weightlifting.
Despite San Diego’s appeals, there are several things in Germany that Strauch said he misses. This includes his family and friends, who are now a nine-hour time difference away
“I speak with my parents on the weekends because of the time difference,” Strauch said. “I talk to my friends mainly during lunch because it’s evening in Germany. It’s hard, and I wish it could be more.”
Even with many friends left in Germany, coming to Westview has allowed Strauch to make new connections through his classes, wrestling, and the help of his host sister.
Strauch’s host family has also felt a shift in , cultural exchange goes both ways, and Strauch’s host sister said that her family has learned more about Germany over dinner.
“We’ve all gotten to know each other through dinner discussions,” Clay said. “We’ve gotten to know what he used to do in Germany, what his schedule used to look like, and how it’s different compared to here.”
