Saarlouis-Scotia Exchange

Laura Coderre

During the 2006-2007 school year, thirteen Scotia Glenville High school students participated in a German-American exchange trip. For two weeks during the months of October and November these students and their families opened their homes to their German counterparts. When they left here in November both the Germans and Americans were sad to see that their time together was over. The American students watched them leave knowing that they would see there new German friends in just a few months.

Four and a half months later we were on our way to Germany. All thirteen of us plus our teacher Frau Cunningham and her husband flew from Albany Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina. From North Carolina we flew for eight hours finally descending into Frankfurt, Germany. We collected our luggage and boarded our bright yellow bus and rode for three hours until we finally reached Saarlouis. Pulling up to the school, the Robert Schuman Gymnasium, we saw our favorite Germans and their families anxiously awaiting our arrival. Again we gathered all our suitcases and carry-ons and nervously climbed into the cars of the people who would be our new families for the next two weeks.

We arrived on a Saturday and by school on Monday everyone was so relieved to see familiar American faces and to hear the English language. More importantly, though, we were excited to tell each other all about our weekend adventures. That morning we had a delicious breakfast in the school cafeteria and then walked to the middle of the city to city hall where we would be meeting with the Mayor. During our meeting, we discussed building plans for Saarlouis and the Mayor answered questions that Americans had given to their exchange partners to translate. After this meeting the German students returned to school and the rest of us went on a walking tour of Saarlouis.

On Thursday the Americans took the train to Trier and went on a walking tour. Our tour started at the Porta Nigra, a Roman gate situated near the end of the town center and shopping area. We walked on and saw a beautiful cathedral and a sprawling pink palace with amazing grounds surrounding it. It was “Faschingsdonnerstag” and there was a street carnival going on in the center of the city, which made all of Trier seem even more exciting and fun.

Both German and American students also traveled to Freiburg during their two week stay. We went up a mountain in the Black Forest in a gondola, and we were rewarded with breathtaking views of the surrounding fields and villages. At the top of the mountain everyone enjoyed either Black Forest cake or cheesecake. Our trip ended with a long bus ride back to Saarlouis.

The two weeks we spent in Germany not only brought us closer to our exchange partners but allowed us time to make friends with many other people over there. So this goodbye was even harder. We left when it was still dark out, which is pretty early, and made our way back to the U.S. in a plane from Germany to Pennsylvania and finally ending our unbelievable experience back in Albany. Its safe to say that the three feet of snow piled along the side of the road was not a very welcoming sight. If you ask any one of the thirteen now worldly, experienced American students who participated in this once in a lifetime opportunity, I am sure they will all tell you it was one of the best experiences of their lives.

Megan Andersen, Tabitha Bandy, Chris Barner, Sam Brucker, Hannah Carroll, Laura Coderre, Becca Collins, Rachael Harris, Joe Hlat, Jack Lewis, Jill Simmons-Hyland, Shelby Snyder, Morgan Valachovic and their German counterparts.