Visiting a foreign country is quite an experience, but Junior Lena Mehrens and sophomore Quin Cheen know firsthand what living in another country is like since their move to Chapin.

Mehrens moved in August from Hamburg, north Germany, to Chapin and is now going to school at CHS. Being an exchange student for one year, she is staying with a host family in a neighborhood near Chapin.

After seeing so many films, reading books about being an exchange student, and hearing about the life of teenagers in the U.S. she “always dreamed of being part of it.”

Once she got here, Mehrens realized America isn’t just Hollywood and New York. At first people in the U.S. seemed to be really different than Europeans.  Little things like how Americans get ice in their drinks, have big supermarkets, go to church quite often, and take the time to talk to people when they’re out.

The biggest difference she noticed was the school system.

“In Germany, the students don’t change classes. The teachers come to them. Also we have up to seven different classes of 45 minutes a day.”

American students complain about so much homework but they take for granted the fact that they get to use their own language. To communicate in America, Lena and Cheen had to learn English.  Mehrens has been studying English, French and Latin since fifth grade but Cheen is still in the process of learning English- and he is doing well. While Cheen uses a translator in class, Mehrens writes down words she doesn’t know and looks them up in the evening.

Even though she noticed many people here complain about having classes for 90 minutes, she likes it.

“You do not need to do homework for seven different classes every day and you do not need to take all your books with you,” said Mehrens.

While there are no athletic school teams in Germany, she has tried out and made the Lady Eagles volleyball team. Another difference between German and American schools is school spirit. European schools are more business like. Teens go for education not necessarily socialization.  In America, sometimes it seems like it is the other way around.

“It seems that everybody is proud of Chapin High School. I’ve never seen anything like this in Germany. I love it.”

Quin Cheen, originating from China, will be staying in America for three years with his family.  Cheen said he misses his grandfather the most, who stayed in China.

Chang also noticed that the school system was different but for him it’s not only the school- it’s America in general.

“I like it here, better than China.”

Cheen also noticed the differences in the food.  Instead eating rice nearly everyday, he is getting used to American food like French fries and hamburgers. 

Mehrens knew Americans ate a lot of fast food before she came but she was surprised how many different kinds of fast food there are. 

Even though Lena misses her friends and the chocolate in Germany, she knows for sure that she will never forget the day of her first football game, the first trip to the beach, and all the new friends she has already made. “I’m looking forward to a great year at Chapin with many experiences!”