Meet Past Winners of Käthe Wilson Scholarship

2011 Winner - Kyle Decker

I want to preface this note with a word of advice – if, like me, you find yourself pulling your hair out at the idea of writing three or more pages of all German without any sort of assistance, resist the urge to just give it up because it’s too difficult or because you feel like you have no chances of getting the scholarship.  Because if you do get it, you’ll be treated to an experience that will be near impossible to forget.

I’d say my story began the same as most others going to a foreign country for the first time.  While I had taken four years of German classes by that point and had spent the entirety of the last hour exclaiming how excited I was to meet my host family, when we finally arrived at Gymnasium Wellingdorf in Kiel, I was too terrified to get off of the bus.  What if I couldn’t remember anything I had learned?  What if my family didn’t like me?  And for the love of all that is good, why couldn’t I have gotten more sleep on the airplane? (another word of advice – learn how to sleep on airplanes)

Thankfully, while my first few days were filled with an endless stream of “wie bitte?” I still never felt out of place.  My host family and brother, along with the other German students (and American students learning German), were some of the nicest people I have ever met, and my experience would have hardly been the same if I wouldn’t have spent it with them.

Obviously, though, chances  are you won’t get to know the same people I got to know, and I have a feeling that it’d serve more use if I talked about the program itself.  My group was composed of 15 Americans and two chaperones, one American and one German.  As I said, we were stationed in the port city of Kiel, which we spent the first few days exploring.  After those exploration days and a weekend with our host families, we then started going to school, taking classes with both the other Americans and with our German partners.  (for those afraid of school, don’t worry – every two hours there’s a fifteen minute break full of relaxing and German bread)

The program also contained an enormous amount of exploration.  Over the course of three weeks, I visited both Hamburg (possibly the most beautiful city I’ve ever been to) and the historic city of Lübeck, toured the entirety of Schleswig-Holstein, partook in Schulfest (a giant graduation party that the entire school is invited to), spent a weekend in Berlin (where I saw the Queen-inspired musical “We Will Rock You” and spent a night in a very nice youth “hotel”), watched three films in German, braved a trip into a Paternoster (I’ll let you figure out what that is), and, last but definitely not least, experienced Kielerwoche, a week-long celebration full of music, magic, and a multitude of exciting people (I’d go back for that week alone)!  And that’s just a sampling of what I experienced in Germany.  Considering the fact that I learned (or relearned) some cultural or lingual fact about Germany every hour, even the “lazy days” at home were an adventure!

But all things come to an end, and while I certainly saw a lot, when those three weeks were over I felt a little jolted by the realization that I had to say goodbye to the people and places I had gotten so close to.  Although, considering how much I brought back with me, I never really did leave.  For it wasn’t only Kyle Decker that came back to America.  With me came a powerful new understanding of the German language, a love of a country once so foreign, and a kinship with people once unknown.

Oh, and Haribo.

Lots of Haribo.

2010 Winner - Mark Kelly

This last summer, I have had the pleasure of spending 3 weeks with the AATG Summer-Study Program in Kaarst, Germany. I am happy to say that it was the greatest experience I have ever had. Germany provided a multitude of new and enlightening opportunities I may have never had save for the AATG providing them to me.

The most obvious benefit to the study program was my instant improvement in my German. My three years studying in school had given me the tools, but the practice of speaking the language daily really set me over the top. My host family, as well as most other Germans, was more than happy to help me out when I struggled and to help me and my fellow Americans to greatly improve.

My favorite part about the trip was definitely experiencing the history of Germany and Europe. We took several excursions with the group to several cities in the area to monuments with stories still unfinished. History is one of my favorite school subjects so being able to see first-hand some of the things that shaped early Europe really moved me.

Another fascinating piece of my trip was the culture shock. There were so many things that proved different from the United States. One of these was the stress on eco-friendliness. The major mode of transportation was by bicycle and the cars that were being used were generally small, eco-friendly cars.

The school life was also very different from the United States. I much preferred the school system in Germany. There, school runs year round with several longer breaks. The school day is also shorter and differs daily. It was really cool being able to experience another culture’s take on the education system, and getting to see this all first hand was an opportunity that is second-to-none.

The family life was amazing in Germany. I was accepted as a member of the family and treated very well. I love my host family to death and have made lifelong friends in them. They took care to expose me to as much of Germany and the country’s wonderful culture as they could in the three short weeks. I have kept constant contact with the family and my host sister and hope to visit them again.

All in all, Germany was a truly exceptional experience thanks to the AATG program. I would have never been exposed to such an experience through any other means. I am thankful of both the AATG and my host family for providing me with the best three weeks of my life.

I plan on taking honors/AP German at my high school this year, and hopefully I will be able to minor in German when I'm in college.

2009 Winner - JeanMarie Stewart

When I stepped off the shuttle bus that first afternoon in Germany to meet my host family, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to understand them, or they me. I had been up for around 24 hours and on a plan for 8 of those 24, only to arrive and find that in Germany it was still early afternoon. I stumbled off the shuttle bus and met my host mother and sister. Much to my relief, I was able to understand their questions about how the flight was and which suitcase was mine. We drove to their house, where after some lunch, I got a much needed nap. It was only after I woke up and looked out the window that I realized, “Oh my goodness, I am actually here!”

Here was Burglengenfeld, a small town in Bavaria. The town received its name because of the castle that overlooks it on a neighboring hillside. It was all most everything I’d imagined a German town to be, and more. Over the next few days I got to explore the town square, one of the churches, and also hike up the hill to see the castle. I marveled at the cobblestone streets and how in Germany, even the shapes of the cars is different.

Over the next few weeks, I learned a lot. Each morning we had German class with just the Americans, and then we sat in on our host siblings’ classes in the afternoons. We took trips to see Regensburg, Nuremburg, and Munich. Our German Kursleiter led us around these cities, pointing out historic landmarks. My favorite part was that in each city we got time on our own to explore.

I learned a lot just by living each day with my host family. They were very concerned with my welfare, and wanted to make sure I was happy. They spoke to me most all the time in German (except on those occasions when I had no idea what they were saying). I adapted to the fact that in Germany, lunch is served a little later in the day and is the big hot meal. I’m very glad my German host mother packed me a snack (Pausebrot) to eat each day at school. I also learned that in German homes, whenever you leave or enter a room, you close the door behind you. By far one of my favorite parts of living with a German family was sitting out on their patio (or Terrasse, as they call it) and just talking together after a meal.

Immersing oneself in a country is truly the best way to become familiar with the language and the people. I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to go to Germany, and I would go again in a heartbeat.

2008 Winner - Khatiya Chelidze

In the words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.” After living with four of them for three weeks, I think it is fully acceptable to say that this German was right. I not only learned more German, but got to understand myself as a traveler better as well.

Even though my host sister and I had been exchanging emails for a few months to  get to know each other, I was not sure what to expect from those mysterious four people in whose house I would be staying. But the welcome I got when our bus pulled up to Gymnasium Wellingdorf in Kiel, Germany was the warmest I had ever received. At the beginning, being surrounded by so much German was overwhelming, but my host family accommodated me in every way, both physically and emotionally. I felt completely at home.

However, I obviously wasn’t. There were many new things to see in Kiel, such as their famous fjord and of course, Kieler Woche, a week of celebrations in honor of the city. The school took us on many excursions through Schleswig-Holstein, the state where Kiel is the capital. My host family also took me on private trips to Hamburg and Berlin, both of which were amazing. There was always something to do during my stay in Germany. I never felt lonely or bored, but surrounded by people who wanted to get to know me, learn from me, and let me learn from them.

Speaking of learning, I was surprised by the school system in Germany. It was so much more laid back than what we have here in the United States. Students had fifteen minute breaks, or Pause, every two classes, and weren’t even expected to go to college! We received instruction in two subjects: German and WiPo (Wirtschaft und Politik, or Economy and Politics). Our teachers were kind and understanding, helped us learn, and and also reinforced what we learned just by being surrounded by a sea of German. In a muddle of conversation, you often overhear funny and strange sounding words, such as Schmuckstück (jewelery) or Dudelsack (bagpipes). My German got so much better as a result of just talking to native speakers on a daily basis. I reached a degree of improvement that could only be reached by this kind of immersion program. Forty five minutes of a language a day in school will teach you the basics, but upon arrival in the country, I forgot everything. I learned more in those three weeks in Kiel than I ever could have in my three years of German study at Stuyvesant High School (NYC).

All of this was made possible by the AATG, and I am thankful for how they organized the program. It could not have been set up better, safer, or more efficiently. I left Kiel feeling a close connection to not only my host sister and the rest of the family, but also to the rest of the Germans I met, and of course to the Americans with me in the group. If you are feeling unsure about whether to take a trip like this, push all of your doubts away. The AATG is definitely the best organization out there for German study abroad. You will connect to the people you meet. I intend to keep in touch with the friends I made for a very long time.

2007 Winner - Christine Mennicke

On the first day after our arrival, we started our regular routine of going to school and having class in the morning, then having free time for the rest of the day. Our school was located in southwest Berlin in an area called Steglitz.

We had a welcome picnic at the school, and then played soccer and volleyball. This allowed us to become friends, and also gave us a sure English refuge if our brains were too tired from speaking German all the time.

During the first week we basically learned how to use the U-Bahn and S-Bahn, got to know each other, and visited our hosts' classes. In the second week, we started going on trips after class to museums and memorials. The next week was fun, with trips to the zoo, Checkpoint Charlie, and the river Spree. The following week was even better, since the trips focused more around my specific interests of history and music. We went to Sanssouci and die Neue Palais, both of which were beautiful and informative of Germany's history. Later we went to an orchestra concert, which I loved. My favorite was the Pergamon Museum, which had an entire room devoted to the reconstruction of a Greek temple, as well as an enormous Babylonian gate made with gorgeous blue bricks.

After these daily trips, I'd head home using the S-Bahn and the bus. I became an expert with public transportation on this trip, and I figure that if I can use it in another language, I can use it almost anywhere.

Between the trips and the host stay, I learned about German culture. My host stay was good for improving my listening skills, since I mostly listened when I was around them.

What this trip has really taught me is that I can make it in Germany-I have learned to communicate, figure out where to go, purchase things, ask questions, and understand answers. I'm excited to be able to use those skills in the future, and I know that when I return, I will not be in the least bit nervous, just ready to learn more.

I should finish this with a story. I was on the street one day waiting for a bus, and started to practice my singing since it was raining, and I figured no one would hear me. However, an older man approached me and asked me if I liked singing songs, opera, Mozart, etc., and I said yes, and he gave me a pamphlet about a music school in Berlin. He wanted me to attend (he was an opera singer himself). I told him that I was from the United States. He was surprised; he said my German was very good. That was one of the best things to happen to me, and I was glad that I met someone so friendly and interested in music, just as I am!

2006 Winner - Ned Schack

Ich bin diesen Sommer mit dem AATG/PAD Austauschprogramm nach Deutschland gefahren. Es hat mir natürlich viel Spaß gemacht, aber ich muss zuerst AATG herzlichen danken. Ohne sie hatte ich keine Chance, Deutschland zu besuchen.

Und nun kann ich sagen, wie gut Kiel mir gefallen hat. Ich fand dieses Austauschprogramm wirklich Spitze, und ich hoffe, dass andere in der Zukunft es auch genießen könnten. Es freute mich besonders, weil ich vor der Abfahrt keinen von meiner Gruppe kannte. Deswegen habe ich doppelt so viele neue Leute kennengelernt. Ich hatte aber am Anfang ein bisschen Angst. Als ich doch eine Woche mit ihnen verbracht habe, waren alle dann freundlicher zu einander. Und bald hatten wir viele private Witzen, die alle ganz lustig fanden, und darüber lachten. Sie waren alle tolle Menschen, mit denen ich in Verbindung bleiben zu wollen.

Obwohl ich die Gruppe mochte, sah ich sie nur in der Schule und auf den Ausflügen. Ich habe doch die meiste Zeit mit meiner Gastfamilie verbracht. Die ganze Familie war wirklich nett zu mir, und ich fühlte mich wie zu Hause bei ihnen.  Ich war anfangs nervös, weil ich nicht genau wußte, was sie über mich dachten und ich wollte nur, dass sie einen guten Eindruck von mir hatten. Ich hatte aber Glück, weil sie mich wie einen der Familie angenommen haben. Ich fand es auch toll, dass die Familie, die die gleichen Interessen wie ich hat, mich aufgenommen hat. Meine Gastfamilie hat auch vieles für mich getan. Zum Beispiel kauften sie etwas für mich, was ich brauchte, um alleine in die Stadt zu fahren. Sie gab mir einen Fahrplan und genug Geld, eine Fahrkarte zu kaufen. Ich konnte dann allein zur Schule oder in die Stadt fahren. Wenn ich aber eine Frage darüber gehabt hatte, wußte einer meiner Familie immer die Antwort. Sie hat mir bei alles geholfen, und ich finde, dass ich ohne sie total verloren gewesen wäre. Es machte mir auch viel Spaß bei ihnen zu Hause. Wir spielten viele verschiedene Brettspiele und Kartenspiele. Es war auch eine bisschen komisch, dass alle so viel fernsahen, weil ich im Deutschunterricht lernte, wie wenig die Deutschen im Vergleich zu den Amerikanern Fernsehen schauen. Ich weiß, dass sie mehr diesen Sommer wegen der Weltmeisterschaft Fernseher gucken. Trotzdem fanden die Amerikaner es lustig. Es war aber echt toll, dass die Weltmeisterschaft während unserer Reise stattfand. Es gab immer viele Fußballfeste, besonders als Deutschland spielte, und es war so cool, diese Seite der Kultur zu erfahren.

Als ich nicht mit meiner Gastfamilie war, musste ich meine eigene Unterhaltung finden. Normalerweise ging ich in die Stadt einkaufen und kaufte Andenken für meine Familie und Freunde. Als ich begann, die Buspläne zu vestehen, war’s ziemlich einfach, meinen Weg um die Stadt zu finden. Obgleich ich nie mit dem Bus in Amerika fahre, waren die deutschen Busse wirklich leicht zu nehmen, weil sie immer pünktlich ankamen. Es war besonders einfach, denn ich hatte eine Monatkarte.

Auch war das Einkaufen noch leichter, als ich mir vorgestellt habe. Das Einkaufzentrum hatte so viele Läden und da konnte ich alles kaufen, was ich wollte. Es gab viele T-Shirts, Aufkleber, Schlüsselketten und verschiedene Andenken, mit denen ich mich an meine Reise erinnen könnte. Ich dachte, dass alles ziemlich preiswert war, aber ich vergaß immer, dass ein Euro mehr als ein Dollar wert ist. Das macht aber nichts, weil ich genug Geld mitgebracht habe, und ich hatte auch eine Debitkarte dabei. Ich glaube aber, dass es keine Probleme über Geld gab, denn jede Amerikaner nahm genug mit. Der Vorschlag, der AATG im Handbuch gibt (ungefähr $100 pro Woche), ist ganz richtig. Ich finde, wenn man das Handbuch liest und ihm auch folgt, geht alles in Deutschland gut.

Insgesamt war mein Aufenthalt in Deutschland perfekt und sehr angenehm. Meine Gastfamilie war so nett wie meine eigene Familie und sie half mir bei alles. Die Schule hat mir viel Spaß gemacht und ich habe auf dem Gymnasium viel gelernt. Die deutschen Schüler und die amerikanische Gruppe waren ausgezeichnet. Ich bin froh, dass ich diesen 20 Leuten begegnet habe. Die waren ganz lustig und wir werden an einander schreiben. Dann wird niemand unsere Reise vergessen. Ich wollte länger als drei Wochen in Deutschland verbringen  und ich weiss, dass ich mich bestimmt an die Reise immer erinnern werde. Dieses Programm war für mich super, und ich hoffe, dass andere Schüler diese Reise auch erfahren können. Ich danke Ihnen für mein Stipendium und ich wünsche anderen viel Glück beim Versuch, diese Reise zu gewinnen.

Vielen Dank!!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Ned Schack
Käthe Wilson Scholar