Velen Chan (5B) has joined the AFS exchange program (2010-2011) and she has wonderful experiences in her host school and family in Germany.

 

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Velen Chan F.5B (3)

 

I was lucky that I passed the AFS screen test when I was in F. 4 last year. As a result, I joined the 10-month exchange program in Germany.

 

During my exchange year, I had a different taste of life. I experienced different things like party, work, study, sports, family and journey. I was actually pretty shocked when I was there. It was totally different from what I expected. I never thought I would wake up punctually at six every morning and start off the day by eating raw pork sliced meat as breakfast. What really speechless is that I could watch the sunrise at school.
Besides, I learned something that is really practical. How would you use an oven? For me, I used it to rescue my mobile. I once fell into the lake while I was pedaling and so I dropped my mobile phone into the water. I was told that by putting a dysfunctional mobile phone with 55 degree hot into the oven for half an hour it will function again. I was thinking like, would things be that magical? Indeed, it worked! I would say it even worked better than before! I had fallen into the water for several times in Germany, I and a Columbian student went to a lake in mid-November and we tried to run on the surface. It was so tragic that after taking a photo, the ice started to crack! Eventually, our feet were soaked into the icy water. We needed to stay in bed for 2 weeks before we could walk again.

 

The school was great! I studied with class 10 (equivalent to form 4). Throughout the year we did a lot of projects and even an exhibition. The time spent on dictionary communicating with each other in German is still the funniest and hardest moment that I had ever had.

 

Probably the most unforgettable experience for me is to help the father of my host family to work on a farm to pick up strawberries. I never thought that farming could be so tiring. It is true that it is a no-brainer but still I would rather go on study but not do such a physically demanding job.

 

AFS is really a fantastic program! Because of my participation, I have learnt a totally new language in 10-month-time. It has also broadened my horizon. I will never forget what I have learnt from the program.

 

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