Monday morning, the GHS World Language Department welcomed some special guests students from across the Atlantic.
“I’m an alumni of Greenwich High but I also attended this school, Leibnizschule in Germany for a period of time. I contacted the school about a year and half ago and they responded right back and we’ve been working on this exchange every since!” said Margret Callahan, German teacher at Greenwich High School.
“We really haven’t had anything like this for the German program. It’s a small department and not many people take it so it’s nice to see it expanding,” said Jonathan Katzmann, a sophomore in the GHS World Language Department learning German. “They speak perfect English and I only have two years of German so it can’t really match up but I’m going to do my best!”
The visit is designed as part of a sister school program between GHS and Leibnizschule, where students from Wiesbaden will be hosted by GHS German students, and will shadow their student hosts for one week, attending class with them, and experiencing life at GHS.
When asked what he was most excited about, Tom Gerber, a student from Leibnizschule said “Probably getting an impression of American school and life, how life really is in America.”
“It’s one thing to teach a language but it’s another thing to come to a country and learn the language,” said Karin Augnstin, a teacher from Leibnizschule. “But it’s more important that they actually see what it’s like in school, in the country, in the US. We can teach them only so much about it. This experience is worth many lessons.”
The GHS students will travel to Germany in April. They will spend a few days visiting Leibnizschule Wiesbaden, shadowing their hosts and attending class. This will be followed by a tour of southern Germany and Austria, including visits to Rothenburg, Munich, and Salzburg.
