GAPP 2016: 22 January – 12 February German-American Partnership Program
To improve your German To meet new people To experience German culture To challenge yourself To add distinction to college applications and resumes To learn and grow in unexpected ways Why GAPP? GAPP is the largest and most successful bilateral student exchange program of the US with any other country.
Departure from SFO June 2015
Minimum of two years of German Host a German student Take German while hosting Speak German while in Germany Spend ten days at our partner school, Johann- Gottfried-Herder-Gymnasium, in Halle Spend three weeks with a host family in Halle Note: Participation is based on student application, interview with Frau Fleming, and demand. German 3 and 4 students are given preference. GAPP requirements
We meet the exchange group when they arrive at SFO Banners, flowers, balloons, flags – celebrate! Weekends are FAMILY TIME Plan your time well so that your guest understands what is happening Plan activities and outings that are special favorites of your family Monday after finals: all exchange partners excursion to Alcatraz Tuesday: first day of school – Germans shadow FHS students for two days Tuesday evening? Potluck reception Thursday: Germans have their own schedules and start giving their presentations Ongoing: excursions, events, get-togethers (planned and spontaneous) February 11: Goodbye Party February 12: Germans board charter bus at FHS… Auf Wiedersehen! What does the exchange look like?
Tentative Calendar 2016 Exchange
BEFORE THE EXCHANGE Help plan, drive to or attend field trips, or be in charge of a fundraiser or organizing another activity. Help with fund raising if needed. Help with welcome bags. Help write a welcome letter to the student with some photos. DURING THE EXCHANGE Free up your own and family time while the student is here. Have a clean, neat room or area for the student. Provide bed and regular meals for your student. Be there for the student -- offer a loving home, communicate with them. Share family rules and expectations with the student. Help your student get home from events if needed. Attend the welcome reception. Pay for the activities to which you as a family have invited him/her. FAMILY INVOLVEMENT Just FYI: German teens are often accustomed to having mom at home cooking and cleaning, preparing family meals, and they are not as used to prepackaged or microwaved meals. Go ahead and acquaint your guest with the way things are done in your home, knowing that our crazy American schedules can be confusing to outsiders! Just FYI: German teens are often accustomed to having mom at home cooking and cleaning, preparing family meals, and they are not as used to prepackaged or microwaved meals. Go ahead and acquaint your guest with the way things are done in your home, knowing that our crazy American schedules can be confusing to outsiders! Remember that not all matches are perfect – it's not anyone’s fault if it doesn't work out. Some personalities just don't click. Also, remember it's only three weeks and most problems aren't as big as they might seem at the time.
The success of this exchange hinges upon active involvement of the hosting families. Parents must be willing to do their share. Please plan and doing one or more of the following: Driving students on field trips, such as: Monterey Bay Aquarium San Jose Tech Museum Walking tour of Pleasanton Photo Rally of Pleasanton Organizing the welcome reception ( 2-3 people) pot luck (everyone brings 1 dish) Collecting goodies for the welcome bags Being in charge of a fundraiser Being in charge of student accounts (will need for especially) Paying for or participating in a fund raiser to earn about $150 per German who is visiting here—to take care of the costs of the exchange from this side. (When we travel to Germany, they will do the same for your child!) We have no financial support from the school district or state government. Family Requirements
Give presentations on American life Attend homeroom with Frau Fleming every day Participate in all activities and excursions planned by our partners in Halle We will be in Halle from mid-June to mid-July 2017 What will we do in Halle?
In the state of Sachsen-Anhalt in former East Germany Population: 235,000 First mentioned in the year 806 Named for the region’s salt springs Salt = wealth in ancient times About Halle
While we are staying in Halle, our hosts will take us on several excursions We will take day trips as a group Berlin Dresden Leipzig and other regional destinations! Our host families will take us on weekend sightseeing trips Excursions from Halle
After we leave Halle, we spend 5-6 nights travelling in on our own in another region of Germany Possible destinations: the Baltic coast or explore the coastal regions from the North Sea to the Baltic Our tour Halle
Fill out the GAPP hosting application by Monday, October 19hosting application Plan to meet November 2 for a major planning meeting. At that time, we will decide who’s in charge of what! Please plan on this meeting taking a bit longer, 7p-8:30p or so. We’ll meet on Monday, December 7, for cultural training and to get committee updates and on. Then we will meet on Monday, January 4, to finalize plans and handle any questions that have arisen. What now?
Visit the FHS GAPP blog: Visit the US government page about GAPP: partnership-program partnership-program Visit the Goethe-Institut GAPP website: Visit the Wikipedia entry on GAPP: _Program _Program Find out more about GAPP