The German students arrived at Philadelphia (Picture with banner) in time for the homecoming game with our now undefeated marching band the first night (10/18).
Saturday, almost all of them attended the Homecoming Dance.
The following week (10/23) we took a tour of Valley Forge National Park with the Washington Memorial Chapel (they got to climb the bell tower!!), and a visit at Borough Hall with our Mayor Peter Urscheler, who showed them the police station and the council chamber.
On Thursday (10/24) we visited Philadelphia, with stops at the art museum, love park, city hall, heard the Wanemaker organ play at Macy’s, lunch at Reading Terminal Market, visits to Independence Mall, Elfreth’s Alley and the Betsy Ross House.
On Monday (10/28) we did trick or treat at the HS – where they handed out Haribo Gold bears to the first 650 children.
On Tuesday (10/29) we took a coach to Washington DC, where we started at the Lincoln Memorial, walked the other war memorials, took a loop around the ellipse and took pics at the White House, and then had the afternoon to explore the Smithsonian Museums. A couple of group photos show them on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and at the end of the day at the American Indian Museum.
It was the third visit for my colleague Karin Götzfried and the first one for Simone Kinateder from the Jakob Brucker Gymnasium in Kaufbeuren.
There were plenty of tears on both sides, both boys and girls, when we said good-bye Thursday afternoon. And plans were already made for private return visits next summer… Mission accomplished!
