News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Ten students and two teachers from Lindenberg, Germany, visited Sisters over the past three weeks, part of the German/American Partnership program
The students, who hail from the state of Bavaria near the Austria/Switzerland border, enjoyed a thorough Central Oregon tour, including visits to the Warm Springs Reservation, the High Desert Museum and Sahalie Falls deep in the Cascades.
The students noted the differences in education between Germany and the United States.
In Bavaria, high school is attended by students preparing for university study. The average high school attendance in Germany is about 40 percent, according to the teachers. Those who don't go to high school go into vocational training programs.
It is a strong, selective process, noted teacher and tour guide Inge Fiebig. You have to be qualified at the age of 10.
In Germany, students are instructed in short, 45 minute sessions, where they are taught a variety of languages, mathematics, physics and other subjects. There is no lunch period and the school day ends at 1 p.m.
Every day we have a different schedule, Carolin Arnold said.
While academics are certainly different in the United States, the students noted other differences as well.
In Germany you can drink beer at 16; here it's 21, commented Matthias Maier. You get a driver's license at 18 (in Germany); here it's 16.
The German students have been staying with local families. One thing they noticed is that many Americans turn on the TV nearly as soon as they get up. We also drive long distances.
American food is different. Cheeseburgers and Mexican food have been popular.
They expected big cities and a lot of crime. Small town Sisters was a little different than what they anticipated. I thought Americans would be big and fat, said one, an impression perhaps gained from American tourists in Germany.
I think we all enjoyed our stay here in Sisters very much. Not only at the school but with the host families, said teacher Armin Fiebig. ...we will go home being more open minded and with a better understanding. We hope there will long lasting friendship with young people, and look forward to seeing our American friends next year.
Sisters high school students plan to visit German next year as the exchange program.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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