A common question fellow teenagers ask of German exchange student Sarah Schilling, 17, regards her home country’s drinking age.
“It’s 16 for beer, 18 for the harder stuff. They ask, ‘then why did you want to come here,” said Schilling, visiting Clarkston from Das Alte Land, near Hamburg, Germany. “I tell them, because I want to see new things.”
Helping fulfill her wish is her host, Audrey Houck of Independence Township.
“We’ve done a lot of things,” Schilling said. “We went to a Red Wings? game, Pistons game next week, snowmobiling, skiing, bowling, shopping in your huge malls, the gym. I’ve met a lot of great people.”
“Sarah is very outgoing,” Houck said. “I want to thank everyone for their help and support.”
An exchange student with Nacel Open Doors, Sarah arrived Dec. 28 and will stay about six months. She has been to Canada, Denmark, Belgium, and England, but this is her first visit to the United States.
“I like foreign languages,” she said. “I want to experience foreign cultures. I love to travel.”
Earning a spot in Germany’s 13-year academic program, she has two years left of school. She’s considered a senior at Clarkston High, and is looking forward to prom, graduation, and trying out for the lacrosse team.
“Clarkston High School is huge,” she said. “It’s different from my school. My school is very small. The teachers here are more fun.”
Public schools in Germany mostly stick to math, science, language, and sports, so she enjoys her media class at Clarkston High, especially making videos.
“I don’t want to be a movie star, but videos are fun and exciting,” she said.
This is Houck’s first time hosting an exchange student.
“I wanted to give something back to a child, experience the joy of what we take for granted,” she said.
Schilling created a ‘bucket list? of activities she would like to do during her stay. So far, it has 32 items.
“Eat a Big Mac ? I already did that,” she said. “Spring break, to Florida, maybe? Explore other states.”
Snowmobiling and skiing were on the list, crossed off with a trip to Houck’s boyfriend Blaine Nehring’s home on a lake.
Michigan’s winter has been a learning experience.
“I’ve never seen so much snow. In Germany, we get snow maybe 2-3 times a year, with maybe this much,” Schilling said, holding her fingers a few inches apart.
‘Sarah helps me shovel,” Houck said.
“I want to learn how to use a snowblower,” Schilling said.
She toured downtown Clarkston, where Houck’s office at Morgan and Milzow is located, and bought some cream cheese at Essence of Main.
“We have this at home,” she told her host.
Houck heard about the Nacel program when talking to a friend this past October.
“She said, ‘you should do it,’ so I applied,” Houck said.
Schilling, who was looking for a program in which she could study abroad, learned about it from a friend, who was an exchange student in Canada.
Other new experiences include pork chops ? she’s used to pork roasts ? Taco Bell, and the school bus.
“In Germany, I ride my bike about two miles to the bus,” she said.
“A public bus,” Houck said.
She is also greeted every day by Houck’s dog and two cats.
‘I’ve always wanted animals, but my parents said they were too much work,? Schilling said. ‘This has been so much fun.?