‘Guten tag, wie geht’s?’ Exchange student brings touch of Germany to Wisco
Hello, my name is Magda. I’m an exchange student from Germany, and I wanted to introduce myself to the school in order to share my experience with the exchange program I’m a part of. I’ve lived in Oshkosh for more than a month now, and to be honest it’s been a little crazy. I’m 16-years-old, and from a little town in Germany near Munich. My host family is the Bowlus-Jasinski family. Some of you may have already met me through tennis or in one of your classes. This year has been a dream of mine for quite some time now, as I’ve always wanted to do an exchange year and go to the US. Normally, an exchange year is extremely expensive. It starts around $10,000 for just one year. That’s why I applied for a scholarship called the CBYX and excitingly, I got it. The exchange program is two-sided, so Germans can go to the US and Americans can go to Germany.
My experience in the US started when I went to Madison and experienced college move-in day and I really enjoyed seeing how everything played out. What I love the most about experiencing school in the US is that I get to take exciting classes here. I really like subjects such as senior foods and contemporary issues. Here, I get to be a senior and participate in graduation and all other senior activities. As my school year here does not count for credit in Germany, I can focus more on having fun, rather than stressing too much with schoolwork.
One of the things I enjoy doing here is playing tennis. I’m excited that I get to play doubles on varsity this year. I’ve met so many nice people in tennis and I hope to play another sport during my remaining time at West. In Germany, I also play handball, which is a mix of basketball and soccer. Sadly, I won't be able to play handball here since it’s not commonly played. I will definitely miss it a lot. This difference between the US and Germany was very heartbreaking for me, as handball is such a big part of my life.
It’s crazy because there are so many other differences between Germany and the US. For example, I faced a little culture shock when I saw the American flag hanging everywhere because in Germany, the level of patriotism is nothing like what it is here. Another big shock for me was when I went to Walmart for the very first time. Walmart is just so huge compared to the stores I see in Germany. Additionally, the students here have a lot more school spirit, especially in sports, which really impressed me! It’s really heartwarming how much they do to show their support for the high school.
To summarize, I’m really looking forward to this year and all the other activities that will arise in the upcoming months! I have enjoyed my time so far and have learned so much in the short time I’ve been here. If you’re interested in going to Germany, come find me and talk to me; I can help you and give you information about the application process. I would consider myself a “yapper,” so don’t be afraid to talk to me. I am willing to discuss anything, even beyond the application.
by Magda Kreuzpointner
Published October 6, 2025
Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue I