ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / September 9, 2000

LAPLACE – So far, the biggest surprise for German exchange student JuliaPoeppl has been the weather.

“When I stepped off the plane, the heat was a big surprise,” said Poeppl. “Ireally like it here, but it is so hot.”

For the next 10 months Poeppl will experience a lot more than hottemperatures. She hopes to get a feel for the American way of life whileliving with a typical American family here in LaPlace.

Poeppl is part of a program called the Center for Cultural Interchange inwhich students from all over the world spend an academic year withAmerican families. The goal of CCI is promote cultural understanding,academic development and world peace.

Poeppl is a 17-year-old senior from a suburb of Stuttgart calledGemmrigheim. She is staying with the Bailey family, who live in the SugarRidge subdivision. While here she will be studying at East St. John High Schoolalong with her American “sister,” Brashonda Bailey.

So far, Poeppl is impressed with Americans.

“I like the people a lot,” she said in very good English. “Everyone is so friendly,and I feel like I can talk to anyone.”

Poeppl and Brashonda have become very good friends, and Poeppl has evenhelped Brashonda with her studies.

Joanne Bailey, Brashonda’s mother, is very impressed with Poeppl.

“It’s been a real experience,” said Bailey. “My daughter and I have alreadylearned a lot from Julia. It’s a thrill for me to watch her teach BrashondaFrench and German.”

Poeppl has a real talent for languages. She knows German, French andEnglish. In fact, it was her love of the English language that made her decideto come to America.

“I love English; it is my favorite subject,” Poeppl said. “This is a challenge forme, and a new experience.”

In the future Poeppl hopes to put her affinity for languages to good use. Sheeventually wants to become a speech therapist because, “I like to work withchildren and languages.”

Other than that, Poeppl is your typical teen-ager. She likes to listen tomusic, (all kinds of music, she said), go in-line skating, meet boys, jog andplay all kinds of sports.

Poeppl is impressed with teen-agers here in America.

“They seem more self-assured,” said Poeppl, “and have more self-confident.

Teens here are better prepared for life here.”

So far, Poeppl has found East St. John High School to be a positiveexperience. She really enjoys her civics and English classes but says she issurprised by the number of students.

“It is so crowded,” Poeppl said in wonderment.

Brashonda has introduced Poeppl to some of the social scene at the school.

Last week the both of them went to an introductory dance, and Poeppl wasamazed at how American kids dance.

“Everybody can dance so well,” Poeppl said. “I would like to dance that well.”

But she enjoys mixing and mingling with kids her own age. In fact, meetingpeople is her goal while in America.

“I want to meet as many people as I can to improve my language skills,” saidPoeppl.

She will get that chance very soon. She and the Baileys are planning a trip toDisneyworld in Florida for the Thanksgiving holidays. Poeppl is also eagerlylooking forward to Mardi Gras.

Poeppl hopes she doesn’t get too homesick. She said she already misses her15-year-old sister and her parents. But she said the biggest thing shemisses is the landscape of Germany.

“It is so flat here,” she sighed. “There are no mountains.”

In general, Poeppl finds Americans to be friendly and helpful people.

However, if she finds a shortcoming with Americans, it is with their lifestyles.

“Americans should be eating healthier and exercising,” said Poeppl.

Poeppl said she jogs every day and enjoys in-line skating. She is also a vegetarian, which is something the Bailey family had to get usedto.

“She’s got us all eating a lot of salads now,” said Bailey.

Bailey recounted how she thought she would treat Poeppl and the family to acrab dinner. But when she brought the live crabs home, Poeppl was notpleased.

“She was yelling at us not to kill those crabs,” said Bailey, laughing. “Shewanted us to put them back in the lake.”

“I’m a vegetarian, and I saved the crabs,” said Poeppl proudly. “I plan onturning this family into vegetarians.”

The Center for Cultural Interchange is always looking for American familiesto house foreign students. Melissa Williamson, the CCI director for this area,said St. Charles Catholic High School is still looking for a family who would liketo sponsor a foreign student. If anybody in the River Parishes would like toexperience a different culture and help out, call Williamson at 504-446-9004.

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