Our very own, Shaker High School, welcomed 25 German exchange students from Saarbrücken, Saarland in Germany. Saarland is a German state and Saarbrücken is the capital of the state. During their time in America, the students traveled to popular cities like New York City and Boston. Meanwhile, within the region, the students explored downtown Albany and the colleges of UAlbany and Siena College, where they learned more about local universities. The German students had a purpose of learning more about American culture, and their exchange partners made it possible for them by feeding them famous food here and showing them famous attractions too. The German Club at the high school also threw their own festivities while the exchange students were here, including Oktoberfest and Martinstag. Both activities were huge successes in making the German students feel right at home, even when they were truly 3,700 miles away.
The first event the club threw was on October 19th, which was Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest this year was celebrated in Germany the week of September 16th to October 3rd. The festival shares lots of German cuisines like schnitzel, homemade pretzels, different types of potato salads, and much more. There are various activities you could partake in at Oktoberfest like going on amusement rides or just listening and dancing to German music. Here at Shaker, the German Club took all of this holiday and created a fun experience for all the exchange students to love, including a competitive game of musical chairs, delicious German chocolates, and dancing to music as well. It was nice for the club to make the German students feel at home because for some this was their first time in America, which can be intimidating. So, just like with the next event, the feeling of comfort and belonging was key for the set-up of their next event of Martinstag.
The German Club hosted their Martinstag parade this past Monday, October 23rd. Martinstag is celebrated November 11th in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. All three countries emphasize the importance of giving back to the community when they celebrate this holiday. The story of St. Martinstag consisted of him when he was a young soldier seeing a beggar on the street. He then decided to cut his cloak in half, and give one of his halves to the guy on the street. To honor that spirit of generosity, the club collected non-perishable food donations for the local food bank from people who attended Martinstag. A skit, which showed the acts of St. Martinstag and the beggar, was performed at the parade by a German exchange student and his partner. Then, after the skit ended, the true fun began. In the streets of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria people create lanterns with lights inside and march, while singing the song ¨Ich Geh´ Mit Meiner Laterne¨. The German club did the same thing, except they marched around the school track. Lanterns were prepared and made as well by club members two weeks prior. Martinstag was the last event the club had before the exchange students went back to Germany.
The true significance behind school exchanges is learning more about different countries, so that in the future one would be able to visit those countries with such beneficial knowledge. In the future, Shaker seeks to continue these exchanges as a way for creating memories in new places and making long-lasting friendships along the way, while students gain an understanding of a new culture, other than their own.