Moving from Hamburg, Germany to Rancho Cucamonga, California is definitely an adventure compared to how rarely it happens to an exchange student.
The sunny suburbs in Rancho Cucamonga contrast the more temperate and mainly rain-filled Hamburg.
Rancho Cucamonga has warm weather for nearly the whole year; pleasant, but challenging to students who are used to living in cooler weather.
While Hamburg has been marked with public transportation and bikes, life in Rancho Cucamonga is all about cars, so local transportation was the first of many hurdles.
Another huge difference for exchange students is school life. Large high schools like Los Osos or Rancho Cucamonga High immerse us into an absolutely American type of high school. Contrasting the more usual German schools, heavy on academics, often ending early in the afternoon and having no after-school activities, American schools put a great emphasis on extracurriculars: sports, clubs, activities-all over.
Pep rallies, spirit weeks, and Friday night football games provide new and exciting activities that involve us and give us a sense of belonging and a chance to experience school spirit in action.
Social life is also very different here. Relationships and friendships often take longer time to develop and are generally quite close. In contrast, American students are extremely outgoing and will involve an exchange student in activities if asked; for instance, a weekend drive to the beach or just a night out at a local mall.
Of course, these casual friendships American students have can provide us exchange students with an excellent opportunity to make new friends and participate in the life occurring around us. Many of the friends made during an exchange, although different from those back home, become very important.
As different as it can be, dinnertime is very different in the US. Where Hamburg had some very nice traditional German dishes, Rancho Cucamonga can boast flavors from Mexico, Asia, and America. Tacos, sushi, burgers, and fresh California produce are staples here, though perhaps the fast-food joints surprise in amount; California’s emphasis on fresh, healthy eating makes for a lot of options.
In fact, trying the foods proved to be one of the most memorable parts of my journey.
In the end, being an exchange student from Hamburg in Rancho Cucamonga was an enriching experience-from the new climate and school to social norms and food, this mix makes the stay both challenging and an adventure. On one hand, this aspect enables students to take up American culture for a whole new look but also allows them to take along memories, friendships, and experiences which shape their view of the world and quite often their hometown of Hamburg.
Even though I won’t see my family and friends from back home for a whole year, the connections I make here are worth it and important for becoming independent.