By Rachel Neglia

What is the best aspect of German culture? Some might say chocolate, some might say pretzels and Oktoberfest, and still others might say the willingness to bail out the entire Eurozone. For two weeks in June, a group of students studying the German language and culture at TPA got the opportunity to ask this question during their sojourn in Regensburg, Germany.

In two weeks, the adventurous group of students completed a lengthy itinerary with their German counterparts. “We stayed mostly in Regensburg, the city where the exchange school (Pindl Gymnasium) is. We had a program Herr Gray and the teachers over at Pindl set up, so we toured different places around Regensburg and in Munich,” says Marisa Putrasahan, a sophomore who went on the trip.

The group had the unique opportunity to visit the BMW factory, the Dachau concentration camp, and many other venues. “My favorite place to visit was Neuschwanstein, a famous castle built in the mountains,” recounts junior Josh Putrasahan.

“Just spending time in Regensburg because of all the rich history and beautiful buildings was my favorite part,” says Clare Waddell, a sophomore.

The students were lucky to be in Regensburg at the time of the Bürgerfest (literally “citizens’ festival”). “The Bürgerfest is a three-day celebration held once every two years in Regensburg’s historic Altstadt ─ more or less a collection of modern shops, pubs, and other assorted businesses located in buildings that are several hundred years old,” explains Herr Gray, “It seems like there is an endless variety of booths with people selling all kinds of food and drink. Overall, it is a lot of fun to spend the evening walking around the Altstadt and watching the people, some of whom come dressed in a Lederhosen or a Dirndl!”

Over the German students’ stay in Arizona, and the TPA students’ stay in Germany, both groups of students developed strong friendships. “I don’t think the language barrier affected our relationships but actually made them even more special,” Josh says, “We laughed at each other a lot when trying to talk and we learned new things every time.”

Some of the students are even planning to visit each other, even after the program finishes. “Clare and I stayed with the family of the two twin girls that my family hosted back in April,” Marisa says. “It was an amazing time; we were able to create longer and stronger relationships with our family ─ especially with the girls, Meme and Yvonne. We are even planning on going back sometime on our own to visit them and for them to come back to Arizona!”

In two summers, the program will occur again, and many students taking German who couldn’t attend this time are already making plans about going. “The Regensburg trip in two years will give me the opportunity to fulfill my life dream,” says Sarah Buchert, a sophomore who has always wanted to visit the city.

When reflecting back on this year’s student exchange, and looking forward to the program’s future, it can be realized that although the pretzels, chocolate, and Oktoberfest are really great things about Germany, the relationships that students build ─ and experiencing the rich culture as a whole ─ are probably the best things of all.