RAMPF Goes Global – Student Exchange in the USA
This fall, RAMPF trainees Heike Wezel and Rebecca Sanwald took the plunge across the pond and participated in their vocational school's student exchange program. Their trip took them to Chicago and Muscatine, where they were able to experience the "American way of life" at first hand.
Traveling to the USA with their vocational school for almost three weeks? "Let's go for it!" Rebecca Sanwald, industrial clerk apprentice at RAMPF Polymer Solutions, and Heike Wezel, industrial clerk apprentice at RAMPF Holding, quickly decided. But wait - before they could pack their bags, they first had to secure one of the coveted places on the USA exchange. Only 20 students from the entire Georg Goldstein School were allowed to go. That's why they had to work really hard!
A Dream Comes True
"To increase our chances, we answered the application questions about why we should be selected and what our motivation is to go on the trip in great detail. Fortunately, our trainer Kai Augustin immediately assured us of RAMPF's support. We were the only vocational school students to even apply, and then with the 'blessing' of our company," says Heike.
The letter of recommendation from RAMPF definitely gave us an advantage, as it made our applications stand out even more.
"When we both actually got the acceptance letter, we couldn't believe that it had worked out!" adds Rebecca. So the USA adventure could begin.
Arrival in the Windy City: Architecture, Basketball and Skyscrapers
The time had finally come at the end of October. The first stop on the trip was Chicago. Heike and Rebecca spent three days exploring the famous Windy City together with their classmates and accompanying teachers. The program included a city tour and a boat trip on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan.
"The view of the skyline from the water was overwhelming! We learned a lot about the architecture and the city's history. I was particularly impressed by the variety of architectural styles and the juxtaposition of old and modern buildings," says Rebecca, summarizing her impressions. The spectacular view could also be enjoyed to the full on a ride on the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier.
Heike's personal highlight? The basketball game between the Chicago Bulls and the Toronto Raptors at the United Center. "We were lucky enough to cheer on Dennis Schröder with the Raptors, who became world champion with the German national team in 2023. That was really cool!"
The first few days in the USA were beautiful and eventful – and at the same time a big change for the RAMPF trainees. "Everything was totally new at the beginning: the language, the surroundings, the impressions. We first had to get used to it," reports Rebecca. "Chicago is really impressive, but also a bit shocking at first. Suddenly being in such a mega city and standing among all those skyscrapers is something you have to get used to."
Heike adds: "In general, however, we got on well straight away. The language was also no problem and we hardly had any communication problems."
Welcome to Muscatine
From Chicago, the bus continued to the final destination of the trip: the city of Muscatine in the neighboring state of Iowa. Once they arrived at the high school there, the German students were welcomed by their host families, with whom they would spend the next two weeks. Rebecca and Heike each had their own host family, which gave them an insight into life in the USA. In addition to "family time", joint activities with the school group were still on the agenda.
In the very first few days, the German students accompanied their host siblings to Muscatine High School. Their first impression? "Like in a movie!" laughs Rebecca. "You actually spend the whole day at the high school, after lessons there are various extracurricular activities, including a wide range of sporting activities. For example, my host sister did pom dancing, which I didn't even know about before."
Heike and Rebecca also quickly noticed some differences to everyday school life in Germany when it came to lessons. For example, many teachers were more relaxed in their dealings with the pupils. There were also one or two surprises when it came to the subjects. "Every now and then we saw students with baby dolls. We then found out that there is a school subject called ‘Family’, where you learn how to look after a baby, for example. The dolls are like real infants that you have to look after around the clock. How you do this is then documented by the doll and later evaluated and graded."
Intercultural Exchange
The students from Bad Urach also gave presentations to tell their American classmates something about their home country. The interest in the German guests was generally great, as Heike explains:
"Everyone was totally open and friendly. We were often asked where we learned English so well. But we also talked a lot about the German school system, our families, food in Germany and things like health insurance. So we not only learned something about the USA, but also a lot about the similarities and differences to Germany."
The exchange program was complemented by excursions to the Muscatine area, for example to Muscatine Community College, the University of Iowa, the chemical company Bayer and the furniture manufacturer HNI.
A cultural highlight for the RAMPF trainees was experiencing Halloween in the USA. In the days leading up to October 31, there are numerous festivities and events and most houses throughout Muscatine were decorated in a spooky and beautiful way. An experience that the aspiring industrial clerks will not soon forget!
A once-in-a-lifetime Experience
Would they make the trip again?
Any time! The exchange was a unique experience that we would never have had if we had simply gone on vacation to the USA. We experienced so much and got to know all different areas of life. It was really cool to see how quickly you get to grips with English and how quickly you improve your language skills. I learned so much in such a short time
Rebecca sums up. Heike can only agree with her colleague: "Our time in the USA really motivated me to keep on learning English, even outside of school. I felt very comfortable with the American way of life. It was great to see something of the world."
We would like to thank RAMPF for their support, without which we would not have been able to go on the trip.