
Scott Johnson, 18, from Minnesota, decorates for Christmas
My time as an exchange student in Germany has allowed me to live the life of a typical German student, joining the local volleyball team and taking martial arts classes. I've also been included in the life of a German family. While we do everyday things like make dinner and watch television together, my host family has enabled me to discover much of the area by bike, on my own feet and on cross-country skis. One trip we took was to Munich for Oktoberfest, where German stereotypes came to life. It was interesting to see so many people actually wearing Lederhosen and Dirndln. My travels have also taken me outside the area, letting me see the mountains of Austria, the site of the Berlin Wall and the Brandenburg Gate.