Aside from students going on trips with their exchange families, to places such as Switzerland and France, the exchange group made many trips as a whole. 

The first trip the exchange group took together was on June 23 to Schauinsland, a mountain in Germany with a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. The group traveled 30 minutes to get there, and once they arrived, they took cable cars up to the top of the mountain. Once at the top, students had the opportunity to walk to the cafe and tower post, take group photos and soak in the sights before heading back to Freiburg.

“That was my favorite [trip], probably because the view was really nice, [we] made a lot of good memories and it was fun,” Coward said.

The following day, the group made their way to Germany’s largest theme park, Europa Park, located in Rust, Germany. Featuring over 20 detailed theme areas based on global regions, students were able to immerse themselves in various cultures during their time at the park. Throughout the day, students rode rollercoasters, ate at popular restaurants and shopped in the park’s stores.

June 26 was the exchange group’s visit to the Natzweiler-Struthof Concentration Camp, now a historical museum and memorial in Natzweiler, France. The group spent an hour and half touring the camp while learning about its long history through images, true journal entries from the prisoners at the camp and diagrams. Students saw authentic objects, like the incineration furnaces, operating tables and prison cells, the very ones that were used over 80 years ago on the site.

After the visit to the concentration camp, the group drove to Colamar, France. The group walked around the city where they were able to get souvenirs, crepes, a regional staple, see the local cathedrals and take photos in iconic spots like at the Rue Turenne bridge view.

On June 30, only the Americans in the exchange group made their way to the small lake town of Titisee-Neustadt, Germany. Del Val students were able to spend time with their friends while getting souvenirs like cuckoo clocks and Germany soccer jersey’s. They also tried Black Forest staple foods like Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cake) and Brötchen (a grilled sausage served inside a crusty bread roll). Aside from shopping alongside the cobblestone streets, students took paddle boat rides on the lake with friends. 

The last trip the exchange group made all together was a Black Forest hike to the Hasenhorn Rodelbahn in Todtnau, Germany. Starting in Feldberg, the group hiked over five miles through farms and woods in the Black Forest towards Todtnau. Once the group arrived at the Rodelbahn, they took a cable car to the top of the mountain. Students took turns with their friends and exchange partners, riding the coaster to the bottom of the mountain. 

To close the trip, on the night of July 5, the exchange group got together to have a farewell dinner for the Americans at Staudinger. Students brought their exchange families and a homemade dish to mark the end of their trip. For the last time before their departure, the group was all together. Teachers and students were helping make pizza, while families were conversing about their travels with their exchange students and friends were saying goodbye to the people they met on their journey.

On the morning of July 6, the Americans in the exchange made their way back home. Students said their final goodbyes to their exchange families and partners before getting on the train to Frankfurt International Airport. 

The conclusion of this student exchange marks the end of a physical journey, but also the beginning of a new global perspective. Beyond all the academic insights gained from the trip, students learned the values in another culture while developing new relationships with teachers, host families and other students making this trip versatile.