My day started with preparing for my first day at the Feldbergschule. I was excited not only because I would get to experience a German school for the first time, but also because I would be able to see the German students that I haven’t talked with since March.
Emrecan and I carpooled with Esra and Dorrit for the ride to school. The Feldbergschule Oberursel looked quite different from what I imagined. We came in through a small door and immediately walked downstairs where our teachers were waiting. There we met the principal, Peter Selesnew. He seemed quite nice and was quick to speak to us in English. He asked us some questions and we asked a couple in return. Overall, I enjoyed his visit. After the principal left, we walked around the school for a bit. The school looks really pretty from outside. The building itself looks nice, and the pond and plant life outside added to the campus’s beauty. Inside the building, we saw the Still Room and the media room. The Still Room was pretty interesting and looked like a nice place to work or relax. I wonder how many people it could hold at a time, though. The room did not seem to be equipped to hold several students at once.
After the tour of the school, we went back to the first room to hold political discussions. Several people gave speeches on the podium that related to political issues they cared about. Jono, Matthew, and I gave an impromptu speech on how violent criminal acts are often blamed on video games, and why things like lawmaking, police enforcement, and mental health awareness should be focused on instead. My personal favorite speech was the first one given by a student from the Feldbergschule’s English class. It was a riveting speech about the underestimated power of youth and our need to make change in our community. The speeches were followed by unregulated political discussions and debates. There was some harsh clashing of ideals, but this was still my favorite part of the school day. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing other people’s ideas while thinking about the political climate of the present.
Afterwards, I followed Emrecan to his final class, where he was excused after a short amount of time. I was surprised by how quickly the day ended as well as by how abruptly it ended. Most days at CA end at a constant specific time and are book-ended by a stricter end-of-day activity and semi-formal dismissal. This is in stark contrast to the way the German students left the second they were finished learning.
I spent the rest of the day with most of Emrecan’s immediate family in Frankfurt. There we visited the top of the Helaba building, the Eiserner Steg Bridge over the Main River, and the Zeil shopping promenade. My favorite part of the trip to Frankfurt was the Helaba building, because it was one of the tallest buildings in Frankfurt, which meant it had a wonderful view from the top, which was made even better by telescopes available on the roof. The bridge was also pretty cool. Hundreds of couples had put locks on the bridge to represent their everlasting love. It seemed a bit cheesy to me, but it was interesting nevertheless. ~Obinna M.