Laura Jeka- German Exchange Student

Laura Jeka is a German exchange student attending school as a senior at Knappa High School in Oregon.

She is from Trieste, Saxony, the state that borders Czech and Poland.

The organization is ACES- American Culture Exchange Service and the website is exploretheworld.org

She talks about the differences between school in Germany and here, the process of becoming an exchange student and the joys of rural life.

German schools offer only academics, so finding out that she could participate in sports, photography, ceramics and other electives has been a joy.

Kristen DeForrest, the local representative from American Cultural Exchange tells us about the process of hosting an exchange student.

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/U8oI-iW3AlY

  Subscribe to the Women of the Northwest podcast for inspiring stories and adventures.
Find me on my website: jan-johnson.com

Transcript

SPEAKERS

Laura, Jan Johnson, Kristen DeForrest

Jan Johnson  00:12

Are you looking for an inspiring Listen, something to motivate you, you've come to the right place. Welcome to Women of the Northwest, where we have conversations with ordinary women leading extraordinary lives, motivating, inspiring, compelling.

Laura  00:32

The opportunity to do like to spend a year abroad or just do an exchange do it

Jan Johnson  00:41

Have you ever thought about having an exchange student? Today's guest is Laura Yeka, an exchange student from Germany. I'll be talking to her about her experience at Knappa High School this year. And I'll also speak with Kristin DeForrest, who is a representative for American Cultural Exchange Service. Let's listen in and get to know this amazing young woman. Hello, everybody. Welcome to Women in the Northwest. My guest today is Laura Jeka, an exchange student from Germany. So hello, Laura. 

Laura  01:13

Thanks for having me. 

Jan Johnson  01:14

You are so welcome. I think this is gonna be fun, interesting. I've had exchange students before, but this one just sounds like such a great person to have right here in Knappa with us. So, um, Laura, tell me about your experience. And you are from Germany? 

Laura  01:31

Yes. 

Jan Johnson  01:32

And going back? 

Laura  01:33

Yeah. 

Jan Johnson  01:36

What's your family like?

Laura  01:37

My family home? So I'd say I have a pretty small family. I have my dad, my mom and my brother. He's 12. And of course, I've like grandparents and my aunt. And yeah, I really have a good like relationship with them. Like, I love him. I love them a lot. They do everything for me.

Jan Johnson  01:55

That's awesome. Where did you grow up?

Laura  01:58

I grew up in Saxony. So that's the most eastern part of Germany. It's like the most eastern state it borders Poland and Czech and I grew up in Trieste, and it's the capital of Saxony. It's my hometown, and I'm still living there. 18 years?

Jan Johnson  02:12

Yeah, yeah. Okay. What's your high school like?

Laura  02:16

My high school? It's like 400 500 students. 

Jan Johnson  02:20

So it's not huge? 

Laura  02:22

No, it's pretty small. But schools in Germany are usually like that. Depends. But yeah, I just changed school. So I was in anew class. 

Jan Johnson  02:32

Okay, yeah. What year in school? Are you?

Laura  02:34

I am a senior.

Jan Johnson  02:36

Okay. Yes. So did you do your junior year in Germany? Or you did your senior year there and came here and did your repeated?

Laura  02:45

No, I did my junior year in Germany, and I have to repeat my senior year because it doesn't count. Okay, that sounds funny. But the senior in Germany, kind of like, it's kind of two years, like two years matter for your graduation in general. So I have like, two more years to do when I get back home.

Jan Johnson  03:00

Okay. Okay. And then do you do a gap year? 

Laura  03:03

Yeah. It's kind of a gap year. 

Jan Johnson  03:04

Yeah. Yeah. So it's kind of a Yeah, that's not so common here in the states where people do a gap year, but that's seems to be more in Europe. Mm hmm. That that's it. 

Laura  03:15

Yeah. It's something for sure. Yeah. Yeah. 

Jan Johnson  03:18

What's, uh, in your school in Germany? Like, what's your schedule like? Are you I mean, like, what hours you go to school? And

Laura  03:25

I'm usually from like, I think it's 820 to like, four. Oh,

Jan Johnson  03:32

so it's about the same,

Laura  03:34

um, sometimes later, it just depends on my schedule. And yeah, I'm pretty much in school all day long. And I go home. Yeah.

Jan Johnson  03:42

Yeah. Do you have a focus for what you want to do when you graduate?

Laura  03:47

And my school has a focus on business. I go to business high school. So our whole education like we have classes like accounting and economics. So we have like a felt like, we get our A levels and it's like with a focus on business. But I actually want to become an English teacher when I grow up. So

Jan Johnson  04:05

when your English is so good, you're a good start for it. 

Laura  04:09

Thank you. 

Laura  04:10

Then you have to take a TOEFL or the the test for English language. It's pretty extensive Our Japanese, I had a Japanese exchange for a college exchange. And she had to take that to get into school over here. And it was really extensive. Yeah, I don't know if I could pass it.

Laura  04:30

 I took one but it wasn't really hard- it was just questions and answers I had to record it. And I think I passed because otherwise I wouldn't be here.

Jan Johnson  04:37

When did you start learning English?

Laura  04:39

In third grade in elementary school.

Jan Johnson  04:41

So it's not so difficult. In Germany, a lot of people's speaking both in German and English are there like if you're with your friends? Are you speaking German? Probably

Laura  04:52

I do except for my best friend. Her name was Victoria and we'll we'll talk in English because we don't like German so we just stay English because we both love English. But most people in Germany know English like we grow up with it, especially like my generation or like my parents. My grandparents had to learn Russian or other languages.

Jan Johnson  05:11

Yeah, yeah. Do you know other languages? Besides? 

Laura  05:14

Yeah, I had Spanish for five years. And I started French last year.

Jan Johnson  05:18

Yeah, when I was in high school, I took both Spanish and French and carried the French on into college. And I can say oui. Things I remember not, not near as much as I should have been able to

Laura  05:35

 Our language was really hard.

Jan Johnson  05:36

 Yeah, I liked it. And I think to be kind of need to be visual to be able to know how to read it because of the different use different. Yeah,

Laura  05:48

it's really, really,

Jan Johnson  05:51

really a lot different than so what  What motivated you to become an exchange student?.

Laura  05:56

So my mom, actually she was an au pair. When she was 18 years old. She came to the States. She stayed in Boston for a year. And when I was growing up, she showed me her a little photo books from her experience. And I was like, Well, I want to do that when I grew up. Yeah. And so that was kind of like she was kind of a role model. So that's all I was like, why not? Because she was like, it was a really good experience. And yeah, yeah, it's been my dream ever since.

Jan Johnson  06:24

And, you know, other kids have been exchanged. Since I'm

Laura  06:29

in my friend group in Germany. This one girl, she went to South Africa. She, she's here. So that was really cool. My one to my best friends. They are actually half American. So. Yeah. Okay.

Jan Johnson  06:41

All right. Interesting. What about what were some of the challenges, hurdles or things to in order to become an exchange student?

Laura  06:50

Um, it was COVID was a challenge. Yeah, sure. Yeah. I actually was actually planning coming here last year, but it didn't work out with COVID. So that was hard. Because I didn't know am I able to go like how a school gonna be and like, you know, everything. So that was a really hard. And then of course, money, like paying for an exchange is really, really hard. So I applied for multiple scholarships. And they have like a scholarship in Germany. It's like, it's a scholarship from the government. So they have like an exchange program with the United States. So students from Germany go to America and then American students go to Germany, and applied for that, and I almost made it but then I didn't.

Jan Johnson  07:34

Yeah, okay. So raising money. How much should you have to raise? Um,

Laura  07:39

it was like, I think 12,000 

Jan Johnson  07:41

That's a lot of money.

Laura  07:42

Yeah. But I had a job. So I worked. And I know, like, since I've been like, in fifth grade, I knew that I wanted to do it. So we've been, like, kind of collecting money and

Jan Johnson  07:51

yeah, it'd be No, yeah. So you think it was worth the investment?

Laura  07:55

Oh, for sure. For sure. No doubt.

Jan Johnson  07:57

Yes. What organization are you with?

Laura  08:00

Um, I'm with Camps International. That's my German organization. And right now, in the United States. I'm with ACES.

Jan Johnson  08:06

Okay. Yeah. All right. Good. So so now that you're here at school, how do you would you say that high school in Knappa compares to your school in Germany?

Laura  08:17

it's much more relaxed. It's, it's more about people and like, it's more than just school. It's like sports. It's all the events in school more than actually like the focus on school because in Germany, I don't have dances. I don't have dress ups, or dress up weeks. It's just school. Yeah. And it's very tiring. And here, it's just fun. I go to school. And actually, like, you know, I get to hang out with my best friends and have different classes that I could have never taken in Germany, because we just don't offer like, like ceramics or choir or photography. We just don't have those. And then generally, choose like, pick a schedule. Like we have a schedule. Like, everybody has kind of the same classes.

Jan Johnson  08:59

Yeah. In Germany, though, it's club sports is not related as 

Laura  09:04

Exactly, yeah, yeah. We do have PE class. But nothing compared to how sports writer or what we do where it's

Jan Johnson  09:12

integral to school. Yeah, yeah. So then, what sports have you participated in?

Laura  09:18

I did volleyball for my fall sport, basketball from a winter sport, and I'm currently playing softball for my spring sport.

Jan Johnson  09:24

Okay, so those are all new to you. 

Laura  09:26

Yes. I've never played any of them. exceept for volleyball a little bit.

Jan Johnson  09:30

Yeah, yeah. But they accepted you in? 

Laura  09:33

Yeah. Yes, they're amazing. try some new things. And yeah, 

Jan Johnson  09:38

what's the most fun about that? About any of them being in sports?

Laura  09:42

I just the people, like just the team. They just take me the way. They just see me as a team member, and they just accept me and they're just, it's just so fun being around them.

Jan Johnson  09:52

So maybe you've made some lifelong friends?

Laura  09:55

 Oh, for sure. 

Jan Johnson  09:57

The thing that's fortunate for you guys is that you have the Internet and it's so accessible, you can zoom after do whatever doesn't matter that you're that far away and, and maybe some of them will come and visit you. That would be really fun with it. You would probably then encourage other people to become an exchange student,

Laura  10:18

for sure. Yeah. If you have the opportunity to do like to spend a year abroad or just do an exchange, do it because it'll honestly it's like such a unique experience, and you'll always remember it in your life. And if it's your dream, keep fighting for it, because it's going to be worth it.

Jan Johnson  10:37

That's good. What was the hardest thing to adjust to being over here?

Laura  10:41

Um, honestly, not really a bunch. I, of course, school is different and like, you know, just life in the States. Like, it's, it's just, I everything's bigger, and the people are so different. And like, I think probably church, because I have never really been to church in my life. So going church is a super unique experience. And I love it. It's amazing, like the people and just everything and you know,

Jan Johnson  11:11

you like relationships. 

Laura  11:12

Yeah, I like people. 

Jan Johnson  11:13

Yeah. So yeah, yeah, you should start your own podcast. I could show you how. Yeah, I think people in Knappa are really, it's just a nice community. It's just such a comfortable community. It's easy to get to know people, although, when I moved here, I had I grew up in Arizona. Oh, wow. And then I moved to Arizona to Oregon. After I married Ed I had already been in Oregon for eight years. But I lived in Warrenton so then when I moved on to the farm out in Brownsmead, It was always, oh, you're Ed Johnson's wife. You're. Yeah, it wasn't an even he's been here. Now. He moved here in 76. He's, I don't even know, he's still considered a real Knapa. person, you know, because yeah, he wasn't born here. So there's a little bit of that kind of culture going there. But people are generally friendly. If something goes on wrong, there's somebody to help ya be there for you and

Laura  12:23

things. Also, I just remember adjusting to is like, in the city. I'm very independent. Like I can we have public transportation, I can just ride my bike and you know, be somewhere in 10 minutes, or I can just take the tram and be there in five minutes. Yeah. And here, I really need people to take me places because I can drive here. So people from amazing they've been taking me places. So that's really

Jan Johnson  12:45

that is a little limiting. You know, when you you lose some of your independence. Yeah. As far it's a little different when you're in Astoria, but still Yeah, you know,

Laura  12:54

it's smaller than my hometown. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's good. Yeah.

Jan Johnson  12:58

Well, even like, Miss Jas, you know, the science teacher just being from the Philippines. It's been I have been able to drive Yeah, you know, and so there's been some things there that have been a little challenging and whatever, but I think she, like you has found that people are pretty nice. Yeah, what about foods? Are there some things that you just love here that you don't have at home or, or miss things that you can't wait to get home for to eat?

Laura  13:27

I like American food. It's really good, but it's very rich and very, like, greasy and sugary. I do like mac and cheese. I sewed us ice cream. Especially Ben and Jerry's. Their queen is my favorite. My dad home cooked meals. Yeah, he's really good. Or my mom bakes. Like, some of my favorite things. Yeah, but I'm also very excited for the home. Like, I can't wait. I'm really excited. Yeah, for the bread and just the bread here. Very

Jan Johnson  13:57

nice. Yeah, it's nothing like European. No, no, I mean, you can go to some bakeries. But it's still it's like, yeah, yeah, no, we just don't quite have it the way it is in Europe. Yeah, no bakeries and things that are pastries. Alright, so let's see. Do you think you're going to encourage your brother to be an extension?

Laura  14:16

Yeah, sure. I mean, if he wants to, he should do it. My parents have asked him he was like, Oh, well, I don't know. So yeah, maybe why not? Yeah, he could totally do that.

Jan Johnson  14:29

 That'd be fun. What do you think after you go, what do you think the people at Knappa high are going to remember about you?

Laura  14:37

That's a really hard question to answer. I feel like I feel like I'm a person who's always pretty happy and I smile a lot. At least that's what people tell me. So maybe that and I feel like I'm a person that you can always talk to like him. I would never be like oh, and I don't want to talk to you like I was there for people. And I want to help them out. So maybe just says like open minded and Yeah, whatever. Yeah, I'm curious. Yeah,

Jan Johnson  15:03

here is goes a long way. It does go a long way. What do you think your next adventure is gonna be?

Laura  15:09

Um, that's a good question. I probably I feel like prom is going to be graduation, all the things. Um, but going back, of course, like adjusting to home and then just, you know, moving on with life a little bit. Yeah, yeah. So I'll see.

Jan Johnson  15:30

Yeah. If you become an English teacher, would you want to do that in Germany or come back to the states and do that?

Laura  15:36

Um, I would, I don't, I don't see me living in the United States, like, for like, forever, like, I want to live in Germany. I want to raise my kids there. But I could see myself coming back for like college. So that's for sure. Possibility, like, I'm totally open for being a teacher in Germany is different than an America it's more a safer job in Germany. It's, it's better paid. And it's just, there's some advantages that I would, you know,

Jan Johnson  16:04

yeah. Yeah. Some of the advantages. That's what jobs do your parents do?

Laura  16:09

My dad is an engineer. So he does stuff like computer chips. And my mom, she is kind of like, how, like a receptionist like she, and the company she works at, she's like, kind of like, you know, when you go on the office, they're like a person with like a desk, and she's like, kind of managing stuff.

Jan Johnson  16:25

Okay. All right. All right. Well, any other kind of things you'd like to share.

Laura  16:30

If you're thinking about being student, it's, it's a good thing. But it's not always going to be, you know, super easy. And it's you have to adjust to life and to the people. And you know, the way you work might not may not work for the people you're living with. So, always be respectful, but always communicate. And always be honest, because this is how things should work. Yeah. So

Jan Johnson  16:55

well, that kind of is a life skill, isn't it? Yeah. Anywhere you go, that's the same thing should be all right. Well, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you. Yeah, it'd be really fun. I'm just glad to meet you. And have you here. Thank you. Joining me now is Kristen DeForrest, who has been the organizer for the exchange program. Tell me again, the name of the program

Kristen DeForrest  17:18

Yeah, I work with American cultural exchange services, or, like, we like to call it ACES.

Jan Johnson  17:24

How did you get started doing that?

Kristen DeForrest  17:26

My one of my very best friends, Heather, she has been a local coordinator in the Northern California area for five years now. And she invited me to participate in this program as a local coordinator. So I signed up and I work for the organization trying to find host families or community. And a part of that process for me is I wanted to learn what it's like to be a host family. So I signed up to host a student as well. And that's how Laura came to be a part of my family.

Jan Johnson  17:55

Yeah, he made a good choices. 

Kristen DeForrest  17:57

Yes, I did. Heather actually, as a part of the process, Laura is one of Heather's students that she placed her this school year. So Heather helped me find a student who would fit great with our family. And she's been wonderful. She is the sister that we have wanted to add and the daughter that we're hoping to stay connected with for a lifetime. So yeah,

Jan Johnson  18:18

yeah,

Kristen DeForrest  18:19

it's been a great experience, 

Jan Johnson  18:20

I'm sure you will too. So let's say a person is kind of interested, but they don't really know what this means for them, like, how long does a student stay here? Is or are they reimbursed for any of the expenses? What What exactly is their commitment to being a host?

Kristen DeForrest  18:41

Yeah, that's a great question, Jan. So and that's, you know, everyone's wondering if maybe I want to do that. I'm interested in other cultures, I'd be willing to share my home and my family with someone, but what does it really take? So the biggest thing to understand is there's lots of exchange programs out there that you can participate in or decide to host with, for ACES. It's a cultural exchange. And so that's really our focus. When kids come, we want them to be a part of the community, get involved in their schools, volunteer serve, like, you know, really be a part of their host family, whatever their families doing, get involved with that, and be open to things that maybe you haven't done before. And so as a host family, your job is really just welcoming that student into your home. With our organization there. We are looking for people to volunteer. And so there isn't any reimbursement for having them in your home. You provide them with a room which can be shared with a sibling, and provide them with a place for their things. They need a place to be able to study also with food. So the expectation is that you would provide their meals for them. And so then there's some flexibility every host family kind of gets to decide what their limitations are. And we can customize that for you and set those expectations up front so students coming no Then maybe you are only willing to pay for them to eat out with your family once a month and the other meals out, they need to pay for. Some families choose that, yeah, maybe you won't pay for any of the meals out, maybe you are in a different situation, and you can pay for everything and you're fine with that. Maybe you know, you're going to go on a spring break trip every year, and your students gonna need to buy their ticket, right, but you're gonna pay for everything else, you really get to kind of set that when you're doing your application and what's going to work for your family, but the bare minimum is their own bed, their own dresser place to study and their three meals every day course, you know, depending on like for me transportation, right, you know, we're in a rural community, there is no public service. So our public transportation services, so you have to really know where you live, and what the needs in your own area might be for a student who needs to go to sports or get to school and

Jan Johnson  20:52

right. So because they cannot drive in the States,

Kristen DeForrest  20:56

correct our organization, we are not here to teach kids how to drive or get them their American driver's license. That's not the point. Some organizations do those kinds of things. And that's okay. Yeah. But with us, that's not the primary focus in in many countries, like in Germany, you don't start driving until you're 18. So wouldn't even be appropriate for a student coming when they're 16 years old, right? To be driving. Right? So

Jan Johnson  21:20

how would a potential family go about choosing their child?

Kristen DeForrest  21:26

So with our organization, I have a list of students that we have already chosen, that have been approved by their countries, they've gone through their evaluations, they, they're available to be placed in the United States. And so our headquarters is in  Washington in the Seattle area, and they choose students, and then as a coordinator, my job is to share those profiles from those students with interested families, okay, and find a student that matches. So the best thing to do if you're interested is to find a local coordinator for your organization that you're interested in and reach out to them and say, Hey, can you help me I'd like to place a student. And I would start with maybe a specific country that you're interested in, like, I have someone right now, who wants a student from Japan. We don't have any students in our organization. But I do have someone from Mongolia. And that student speaks has been studying Japanese for six months. And I thought maybe that would be something you'd be interested in. So shared that profile, and they're considering it. Yeah. And so there may be something that you're open to other tours that we could find that's a good fit. And yeah, for me, I had no idea which country I wanted. And so that gave my friend Heather, the opportunity to really find a student that had similar interests, as my family does. So we'll look at that maybe our musical family, their students with musical abilities. Maybe you're an athlete, you have an athletic, yeah, high school son, and you want someone who also plays soccer, like your son will find a great soccer player. There's tons of kids, right, that play soccer. Yeah. And they're great athletes. So someone that would fit in with what your family is already doing. The goal is to be a part not to be a part of your family, right

Jan Johnson  23:08

to experience life in this part of the United States is and just different people in different cultures rather than so much as the academics, which are important as well. But still,

Kristen DeForrest  23:19

yes. Oh, there is definitely academics are important. They are as an expectation it's a C or above, you know, there's you don't get to come to America and fail your classes. That's not acceptable. You know, you they need to be excellent students in America just like they are at home. So. So it's not vacation,

Jan Johnson  23:38

I'll put a link in the show notes about how they can get hold of your organization or you Yeah, to find out.

Kristen DeForrest  23:45

One of the things you can do if you're interested in learning more about ACES is visit exploretheworld.org. Okay, and or you can reach out to me if you want to know more, okay, we'd love to talk to people. I am looking for people right now who would be interested in hosting. So

Jan Johnson  24:00

okay, so this is Kristen DeForrest and your phone number.

Kristen DeForrest  24:03

Oh, my phone number is 503-468-2400. 

Jan Johnson  24:08

Great. Thank you so much. 

Kristen DeForrest  24:09

Yeah, thank you, Jan, and awesome. All right, bye bye

Laura  24:13

 Okay, and the different thing I just wanted to say is I'm super grateful for my German family, as well as my American family, first of all, for giving me the opportunity to stay abroad for a year. And then just having me like, it's really like a family just taking you for a year, you should be really grateful because you should not take it for granted. So I'm super grateful. And I love you guys. And

Jan Johnson  24:35

yeah, thank you. Wasn't that great? My husband and I have hosted six exchange students, the best being from Germany. I hope you enjoyed this episode, and I would encourage you to consider hosting if that would fit in with your lifestyle. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you again next week.