Welcome to Athens! Athens Academy hosted students from Gütersloh, Germany with the anticipation of spending a week at their school for the duration of the 2024 spring break.
During their exchange, the German students stayed with Athens Academy families and students.
Charlie, a junior at Athens Academy, recalls living with his exchange students and says, “It was super fun. I loved getting to know all of them, and I can’t wait to visit them again in Germany!”
They ventured with Mr. Hovater to Savannah, watched the ACAD football team, and attended the One Act Play. Athens Academy was introduced to their lives in Gutersloh, when German students shared various facets of their lives at MMM.
In contrast to most Athens Academy students, the German students explained their reliance on bikes for transport between school and home. Additionally, the school in Gütersloh is an Evangelische Studierendengemeind (ESG) school, meaning its school community is interconnected with an Evangelical church and provides International Baccalaureate classes. By traveling across the world to share their stories with Athens Academy, both sets of students learn about diverse forms of education.
Through the exchange, the German students immersed themselves into the Athens Academy community. The German exchange student, Leander, was exhilarated by the Athens Academy football game and exclaimed, “I loved the football game because it is a sport we never play or watch in Germany.” With the combination of loud cheers, pompoms flying, and persistent camaraderie, the football game proved to be a core memory for the German exchange students.
Athens Academy students can dive into the diverse and lively communities of Quebec, Canada (June 1st-6th), the Galapagos Islands (late July), or Gütersloh, Germany (February 28th-March 9th). Interested students should contact Mr. Hovater at [email protected]. Just as the German students were captivated by the practices on the ACAD campus, ACAD students will be exhilarated by the new cultures, languages, food, and activities that are offered in the immersive travel experience.
Hadley Spurlock, a junior, perfectly sums up the importance of the exchange and says, “The experience built a friendship that will last a lifetime.”
