Testimonials from hosting Pickering College students
When the German students first arrived they were very shy at first. Throughout their stay in Canada, they became a part of our family and our lives and throughout their time our students Charlotte and Isabella, were open to everything and wanted to learn as much about the Canadian way as possible. We loved having them, and they were always polite, nice, kind, and always very appreciative. We had many good times going to a Leafs game, at home, and even going to school. They always made our day so much fun. We hope that they miss us as much as we miss them and that they enjoyed their time in Canada.
By Taylor Carnegie
As a host of our German students, Isabella and Charlotte, I expected it to be quite an interesting experience. After sharing the first night over a welcome home cake, the girls opened right up to both me and my family. Our goal was to show them a bit of our Canadian culture and did so by visiting a Maple Sugar farm, a few shopping malls, attending family sports including figure skating/hockey, and of course taking them out to a Toronto Maple Leaf game. I believe the girls really enjoyed sitting down for family dinners, as that was when we would learn the most about them and their culture. They loved coming to Pickering College with us - Morning Meeting was a new experience to them and they loved the meals at lunch. After a few days of at school, it was clear which classes they liked as they would always choose the same person in my family to follow! The day of their return home was a hard experience for my family as throughout the two weeks, we became very attached. The girls loved being a part of such a big family and had such an excellent time visiting Canada. We are trying our best to keep in touch with our partners and would love to experience some of their German culture as well. To sum up our experience, Charlotte likes to say, “We had a good time… eh?”
By Briana Carnegie
This experience was amazing, it was so much fun and we made lots of new friends, even though they live across the globe we will still keep in touch and hopefully see each other again. (:
By Taylor Foote
The time I had was great, I enjoyed having Constantin stay at my house and within the 10 days we became great friends. I learned some German in the time he stayed here and I hope that this may lead me to learning more. I enjoyed the time with Constantin and I expect to see him when I go to Germany this summer.
By Kyle Foch
I loved having Nicole and Leonard stay at my place. It was fascinating to see how fascinated THEY were with Canada. I might be taking the train in the summer to visit them when I'm in Germany.
By Johannes B
Submitted to PC Connects by Pina Viscomi, Senior School faculty.
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Testimonials from students who visited from Germany
I cannot exactly tell what was the best thing about this exchange. Everything was just perfect, my host family treated me like a real part of the family and made me feel so much at home, I could not possibly imagine a nicer or friendlier one. I am certainly not the only one who thinks about her family this way considering the crying fit that started when we got into the bus on our last day. That was probably one of the saddest moments in my entire life...it was really hard to go and I would never have imagined those two weeks could be that intense! Time passed by way too quickly and I hardly had time to discover all the things that were new for me. I remember how impressed we all were when we saw a yellow school bus for the first time, the same with FedEx cars...
Shopping was amazing too because there are a lot of clothing stores we Germans dream of! I also loved being at malls, I wish we had some over here, well, there are a few but they are so small I would not call them malls...
To the school aspect, it was a very interesting experience. Periods are almost two times as long as German ones, and people do not eat anything until lunch. That was always a bit awkward at lunch, all students ate a bit, very slowly and were finished before me while I munched as if I was starving and when everybody was finished I was still eating. I hope I did not attract negative attention. In class I liked that teachers always involved me as much as possible. I think my favourite class was Audio although I liked English and Leadership as well. It was so cool wearing uniforms, I cannot understand why some of our group did not want to wear them, I was almost a bit sad when we did not have to wear them anymore in our second week!
All in all it was an adventure which, I am sad to say will be the only one of its kind in my life because this was an experience you only make once.
I enjoyed every single second of my time in Canada.
By Charlotte Wittenius
I can say that I will always remember those three weeks that I spent in Canada. It was an amazing experience to learn so much in such a little time about another country. I saw a lot of the countryside which is very wide and I was amazed by the untouched nature and huge cities like Toronto, as well. There are many things that I will forever associate to Canada, for example food like pancakes with maple syrup and pumpkin pie or sports like ice hockey or skating. I will miss the big shopping malls. Unfortunately, we don’t have many of them in Germany. All of the people that I got to know during my stay were too kind and welcoming, especially the other students at Pickering College and my host family who I have to thank a lot because they made all of this possible to me and who let me feel like I was a part of their family.
By Isabella Dung
It's so hard to believe, that our first meeting to plan our Canada trip took place a year ago. I still remember how nervous and excited I was. Especially the typical questions like: "How will my host family be like? What will they expect me at school and in the family?" etc. were on my mind. But fortunately I can say, that all these thoughts turned out to be unjustified, because when I arrived I was welcomed in such a cordial way.
After just a few days I felt so much comfortable, since my host family treated me like a real part of their family. I often think back to our funny evenings, we spent together to play some games or just to sit around the table to chat with each other. Actually everything was just perfect and I've never experienced such a generosity and kindness before. Just amazing!
A further experience was Pickering College, which is so different from Nonnenwerth. I really liked the fact, that students have the possibility to work much self dependent. Another positive fact I mentioned was, that the teachers were very keen to involve the German students as much as possible. Probably most of Pickering College students cannot imagine, how we even enjoyed the lunch. It was very delicious, but this has the negative side effect, that it was always the group of German students, which was sitting around the tables while the others were already outside for break.
Finally, I would like to say, that everyone around the school and of course including the families gave the best for us and I am so glad to say from now I have even friends in Canada. It was an experience I will never forget and I would recommend taking this great possibility to everyone.
By Verena Bauch
The exchange with Canada was for me a really beautiful and exciting experience. I was really nervous to meet my host family but when I first saw them they all have been so nice and open-hearted. I stayed with family Antchak. They have been to me like my own family! In the school I stayed with my exchange partner Matthew and he showed me everything of Pickering College and introduced me to his friends. I really loved to visit classes with him and find out the differences and similarities between our school and Pickering College. So the school have everytime been fun for me! But in this exchange I not only found out the differences between our schools, I also got to know the different culture and activities. On the weekend I learned much of canadian culture. My host family and I went to Toronto and my host mother showed me every important building and told me the history about it. So I learned many general things about Canada. After this small trip we went to a hockey match of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was so amazing! It was wonderful to see the big arena and to feel the very nice humour in there. It was such a big difference to the hockey you can watch in the TV!
The day after this we went to a Maple Syrup farm and so I learned much about typical Canadian Maple Syrup. It was really fun to experience the way it is made and to hear from its old history. Also we have been allowed to try pancakes with the syrup. It was so delicious! And so I thank my host family so much for letting me stay with them, for showing me all these interesting Canadian things and for being so wonderful to me! I really enjoyed this trip and I miss Canada so much now!
Finally I would recommend everybody to do an exchange like this. It is a wonderful experience while you get to know a new country, a different culture, many different activities, many very nice people and by the way you improve the language by practicing!
By Rebecca Klein
The time I had in Canada was awesome and especially it was a great experience.
At first when we came to school I was the most excited student of our group. I had some worries about what would happen in my host family and in school. But then, when I saw my host family the first time everything changed! I felt directly that I was really welcome! This feeling was great and every worry needless.
The next day was the first day in school - some worries again, and they were needless again. Everybody was very open to us Germans and nearly everybody wanted to talk with us. That was great as well!
It is very sad that we (my host family and me) just had one weekend together, but that weekend was very nice and I will never forget it. It started Friday after school with going to the Medieval Times, that was fun. Saturday we went to the Maple Leaf farm, what you have to when being in Canada. My family was really interested to show me everything which was Canadian. At the end of the weekend we went for dinner in a Canadian restaurant, that was a most delightful evening.
All in all I was very happy, being allowed to stay at the Foch’s house. Like I said the time there was awesome, but of course it was too short. I was very sad when we left Pickering College, because I had found new friends and especially I had the best imaginable host family.
By Constantin Ohnesorge
The exchange with Pickering College in Canada was a really great and exciting experience for me. On the way to Pickering College I was quite nervous to meet my host family and to be instructed in English. But I forget my fears very soon so I was looking forward to my next two weeks in Canada.
My family the Footes were really nice and in the beginning they spoke slower than usual so I had no big problems to understand and speak English. They gave me a feeling to belong there and it was wonderful.
In school I went always with my exchange partner Taylor. In the first two days she showed me whole Pickering and after a few more days I could go to the classes on my own when I had lost her. I had a lot of fun in school to see how the lessons, were there and how they are in Germany. They are really different, and to talk to some of Taylor’s friends and teachers.
In the evening we all sat together and had dinner. Sometimes we played games like Sorry or Life. At the weekend we were out to eat pancakes at the Maple Leaf Farm and I went shopping with Taylor, while we were talking about the differences between Germany and Canada. One night we visited a hockey game and I had never been at a game in an arena so it was much fun!
I really enjoyed stay with my host family and I want to say thank you for all the things they had done with me!! Actually I would recommend an exchange like this to everyone. It´s a good chance to get to know other cultures and people and I think it is the best way to have language practice.
By Marion Wissmann
My stay in Canada was very nice. After making a one-week tour of the region, our German group consisting of 15 students and 2 teachers was cordially received by Headmaster Peter C. Sturrup and some students at Pickering College on 21st March. The students showed us the school, which made the start for us much easier.
After having a little snack I was picked up by my guest family. I was really lucky to live with the Demirli family. They are a very nice family about which I can only say the nicest things. I got along very well with my exchange student Kayli and her parents spared no efforts to show me as much as possible of the city and the region. We visited a hockey match in Newmarket, a professional basketball match in Toronto, the shopping mall, Maple Leaf Farm, a Muskoka farm, their summer cottage on Lake Joseph and many cities in the North of Ontario.
I also liked Pickering College very much. All students and teachers took very good care of us, were very helpful and showed much interest in Germany. Right from the first day I felt welcome and accepted. The teachers often got me actively involved in the lessons, so that I had the chance to improve my English and to get to know my classmates.
All in all, it was a beautiful and well organized stay which I will never forget and I would love to travel there again at any time.
By Vanessa Kreuzberg
During my stay in Canada I lived with the Armstrongs. They welcomed me in such a warm and caring way, I really felt at home. I couldn't have imagined a better host family!
Both at school and in our free time I did all activities with my host sister Sophie together. I met her friends in the afternoon and at the weekend we went shopping, to the movies, to a birthday party and to the barn together. It was great I had the chance to do horseback riding in Canada.
I really enjoyed meeting so many nice people. We had so much fun together, often laughing about the differences and unexpected similarities between Germany and Canada. It was so interesting to get to know the Canadian way of life, the culture, the school system and especially the people. I'm thankful for the experiences I could make and the great time I had, although I think it passed by way too fast.
I would take part in the same exchange program again anytime if I had the chance!
By Alisa Müller
During our Canada exchange I stayed with the family Niemuller/Hare. And I have to admit that the few days, I was spending with them, were one of the best days in my life. It is very hard to put all my feelings and impressions into words, because I cannot express their great kindness and hospitality!
On our first day at Pickering College I was nervous and worried about the stay with my host family, but having picked me up and welcomed me so warmly I felt very relaxed and comfortable.
Everybody of them was generous, kind and friendly and made me feel like being a real part of their family. The evenings during and after dinner I enjoyed a lot. We sat together at the dining table or in the living room and played funny games, watched television or just talked about different topics.
One of the `highlights´ in the first week was the Birthday of my host father. For this event we (my host siblings, the other German exchange student Verena and I) planned to give him a bikini top and Cinderella birthday card as a present. This idea and finally the realization of it was both odd and amusing. Everybody of the guests liked the present and we all could not stop laughing when my host father was going to wear the Bikini top! It was so much fun!
Besides the first week, which was awesome, I also liked the weekend. We visited the Maple Syrup farm, went to the Toronto Zoo and we did, of course, a lot of shopping. All these attractions were so exciting and enjoyable and affiliated us with each other! During the weekend I recognized that I could get along with everyone of my family, I had no problems to talk to my host- siblings who were partly much younger than me!
Actually I could list more further aspects in this testimony, but it would be too much! Because of that I can say that staying in Canada with this wonderful host family and being at Pickering College was really worthwhile! This time will be always in my mind and remind me of the interesting and gorgeous persons I have met!
By Sylvia Barua
First of all, I have to say that I'm thankful to have the chance to spend those three weeks in Canada. I especially enjoyed my time with my host family, the Gaurs, they made me feel welcome from the very first day and really went out of their way to let me feel comfortable.
I also really liked that I had the chance to go to school with my host sister. I could experience another form of school system, and learn about other differences between the school I go to in Germany and Pickering College. I must admit that I had to get used to wearing a school uniform in the beginning, but in the end I can say that it really makes a difference at everyday life at school that I noticed favourably. The great thing about being able to join the classes of my host sister wasn't only to learn something about the subject in a maybe different way than in my own school, but also to get to know other school subjects, that are nonexistent or not common at German schools, such as 'Leadership', which was really interesting for me. What I also liked about going to school in Canada was meeting lots of other students, especially the friends of my host sister, which were partly members of the host families of other German exchange students as well. It was a lot of fun to spend time with the other exchange students and the Canadian students at the same time, and I enjoyed those moments, such as playing soccer with all of them.
In the end I can say that I had a great time in Canada and that I am able to take a lot of good memories with me, about the things I experienced, and especially about all the people I had the chance to meet.
By Charis Neuerburg
The experiences during the exchange were absolutely positive, even if I had to spend the first two days and the last two days in another family because my exchange partner came later and left earlier.
I spent the first two days with the host family (Breitschwerdt) of one of our German boys.
But it was great, they were all friendly and gave me a feeling of being welcome.
After two days I left them to stay with my exchange partner (Apolline Gaignard) in the residence where I met a lot of new people from all countries around the world. I have loved the residence and the people there with whom I had lots of fun.
We went together to Main Street, watch a movie in the cinema or ordered a pizza and made a pizza party which was very funny.
But the funniest thing was playing softball with the friends I found there. So I was really sad that I had to left them to go back to the host family even if they were friendly, too.
In the end I loved staying in the residence and staying in the family.
And if I could go back I would do it because who will not see his friends again?
By Nicole Liemersdorf
Two weeks' time with a new unknown host family; at first I couldn't imagine what this would be like. Before the first meeting with the host families I was very nervous. After finding my host family, it was the best feeling on this day. I stayed with Aidan Slind and his family, they're very nice. But I haven't seen Darren (Aidan's dad) so much because he has to work a lot. With my host family I've done so much nice things I couldn't list all of them! We went to a farm where they made the maple syrup, I was really interesting. One time his aunt has taken me through Toronto, but not the places tourist can see. She took me to a really big park with a little pond. This place was so beautiful, couldn't explain and it was in the middle of Toronto not that far from the skyline.
In school the first day wasn't so easy, because Aidan's classmates speak English very fast. And it took me a few days to understand what they're speaking. But after a few days it wasn't difficult to make new friendships. In this two weeks I've learned a lot of English and I've made new friendships that hopefully will last forever. I have to thank them so much for the experience they have given to me and that I couldn't give them something back (out of the German chocolate).
But I have to thank the Pickering College for letting us stay there for two weeks and giving us a lot of new experience from learning and teaching in Canada.
These two weeks were the best weeks in my life.
By Marcel Disl
The school trip to Canada was very exciting. I’m very grateful that I was able to visit a Canadian school. Life at a Canadian school is very different from the German one but it is very interesting. During this time at Pickering College I stayed with a very kind host family named Foote. After school my host family and I did a lot of interesting things. For example one day, we visited an ice hockey game. I had never seen an ice hockey game live before. So it was a nice experience for me. One day my host father and I went to a bike show and Iwas allowed to sit on a big Harley Davidson. My host family and I went shopping in Toronto, too. In the mall I got some nice souvenirs for my family and me.
At last I want to say “thanks” to family Foote my host family and Pickering College for these nice days in Canada. When we had to leave after two weeks, I would have liked to stay longer at Pickering College because it was a wonderful time.
By Moritz Rubach |