A different kind of school day

On Friday, the English class for 8th graders at Marie-Curie-Gymnasium Bönen was led not by their usual teacher, but by American student Emma Bathke from Virginia. The students have been studying the USA throughout the school year and now had the chance to deepen their knowledge while practicing their English.

Emma, a Fulbright scholar, gave a presentation full of pictures, sharing her experiences growing up in the USA and what life is like at an American high school. The German teens eagerly asked questions afterward, covering typical topics like prom and getting a driver’s license at 16, as well as more serious subjects like gun laws and sustainability.

English teacher Karsten Brill appreciated the lively exchange: “It’s about getting to know other cultures. You don’t have to agree with everything, but you can at least listen and see how others live.”

Later, 5th and 6th graders also had the chance to meet Emma and engage in conversation. The day concluded with a fun competition where Emma tried to pronounce tricky German words like “Eichhörnchen” (squirrel) and “Streichholzschächtelchen” (little matchbox), while the German students tackled English words like “rural” and the state name “Massachusetts,” much to everyone’s amusement.

The U.S. Consulate in Düsseldorf facilitates such student visits to schools as part of the “Meet US” program.