LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – This fall, 24 students from Paracelsus-Gymnasium Hohenheim school in Stuttgart, Germany will be visiting Los Alamitos. From Oct. 14-30, these students will attend Los Alamitos High School and explore American culture. To make this exchange happen each year, Mr. Hansen, a sports medicine teacher at LAHS, requests that students open up their homes to provide these students with a welcoming place to stay during their time here.

Getting enough host students is extremely vital to the continuation of the exchange. The German American Partnership Program has made the dreams of so many German and American students come true. 

“It’s a big dream for most (German students). It was for me because I’ve never been outside Europe, and that’s the case for most of us,” Lisa Reusch, a German exchange student from last year, said. 

When hosting, LAHS students are expected to provide their German friends with all the necessary comforts for an enjoyable experience. The students must have a form of transportation to get to school on time because German students will be expected to attend a meeting with their teachers during first period each day. After first period, LAHS students will bring their exchange students along with them to all of their classes so that they can experience the American school system. 

During the exchange, the German students will go on day trips to Joshua Tree, Hollywood and San Diego. These trips allow students to see new environments they may not have experienced before.  

“We went to Joshua Tree National Park, and that (was) really amazing,” Reusch said. “In Germany, we don’t have deserts at all. Germany mostly consists of (forests), a few mountains or mountain chains and fields. I’ve never seen a desert before.” 

On weekends and in free time, students can show their Germans around Los Alamitos or different locations they love. The exchange students enjoy exploring the various cultural differences between Germany and the U.S. It’s important that students have fun with their German friends and show them things that are part of Southern California culture.

In the past, host students have formed close bonds with their friends from Germany. After hosting, students also get the opportunity to travel to Germany with Mr. Hansen over the summer to visit and attend the PGH school with their exchange friends. This amazing experience allows students to step in and experience the lives of their foreign friends. 

“Visiting Germany with Mr. Hansen was a very unique experience (that) I enjoyed very much,” said Max Engerman, a sophomore at LAHS who hosted and went on the trip.

The exchange is very beneficial for students, as it helps them grow and develop important life skills.

“Hosting a German student has made me more open to making new friends with people I don’t know yet,” Engerman said. 

The GAPP program is an important program that helps students grow and expand their understanding of other cultures, but it cannot continue without the help of incredible LAHS host families. 

Those interested in hosting a German student this year can contact Mr. Hansen via email ([email protected]) or visit him in room 155 for more information on the upcoming exchange and how to take part.