After a long wait and intense preparation, 4AHIF was finally able to visit the partner schools, Stone Bridge High School and Rock Ridge High School, both located in Loudoun County outside of Washington DC. 21 students and the 2 teachers, Mr. Alex Eaton and Mrs. Birgit Bergmann, arrived at Dulles airport to a big welcome by the host families.
The families were very welcoming, and the HTL students kicked off their stays with some American food, an American Sunday and shadowing host siblings at high school. Our students enjoyed the late starting times of the lessons – both high schools start at 9:15 am. The schedules are also different, there are A-days (Mon, Wed, Fri) and B-days (Tue, Thu), featuring the same subjects in those blocks.
Visiting Washington DC was an important cultural part of our visit. Walking from the famous Abraham Lincoln Memorial to The Mall, and visiting the various war memorials, all the way to the Washington Monument. The students also showed great interest in the Smithsonian Museums of American Culture and African American History.
The bus ride to New York City included a stop on the western bank of the Hudson River for a first look at the canyons of the metropolis. The students grew increasingly excited and spent 4 days wandering the city streets, using the subway, and starting to feel like locals.
The group visited the 9/11 Museum and Memorial, the Empire State Building, South Street Seaport, walked on to the Brooklyn Bridge, hung out in Central Park, where the kids played some hoops and frisbee. The hotel was located around the corner from Times Square, with plenty of eateries and fun spots to be discovered on foot.
The final night saw the group splitting up, some went to see a real Broadway Musical, MJ, what a thriller! The other group took the subway to Yankee Stadium and became a part of the real American past time, baseball – with all the cheering and yelling – for one night.
All was quiet on the flight home. A group, exhausted, happy, and full of new impressions, touched down safely in Vienna.
