00:00:09:16 00:00:11:20 >> The alarm goes off at 6:00, 00:00:11:20 00:00:14:29 and we get out of bed at 6:15. 00:00:14:29 00:00:16:04 >> On a wintery December 00:00:16:04 00:00:17:10 morning, Laura and Layla 00:00:17:10 00:00:18:15 are waiting for a ride 00:00:18:15 00:00:20:07 to Plymouth High School. 00:00:20:07 00:00:21:12 The small city of Plymouth 00:00:21:12 00:00:23:22 is Layla's hometown. 00:00:23:22 00:00:25:07 Laura is also from a small rural 00:00:25:07 00:00:27:11 community, but her hometown 00:00:27:11 00:00:29:12 is far away in Hessen, 00:00:29:12 00:00:30:19 Wisconsin's sister state 00:00:30:19 00:00:32:11 in Germany. 00:00:32:11 00:00:33:18 For over three months, Laura has 00:00:33:18 00:00:35:18 been living at Layla's house, 00:00:35:18 00:00:37:11 and attending school with her 00:00:37:11 00:00:39:09 as part of the Wisconsin-Hessen 00:00:39:09 00:00:41:27 student exchange program. 00:00:41:27 00:00:43:02 >> It's a very reasonably priced 00:00:43:02 00:00:44:12 program, with a ton of support 00:00:44:12 00:00:46:07 around it. 00:00:46:07 00:00:48:05 >> An exchange program means 00:00:48:05 00:00:49:17 that you share somebody's life 00:00:49:17 00:00:50:24 for a while. 00:00:50:24 00:00:52:17 And even that little time 00:00:52:17 00:00:54:13 can help you get some insight 00:00:54:13 00:00:55:21 that you would never get 00:00:55:21 00:00:57:14 as a tourist. 00:00:57:14 00:00:58:21 >> In all, ten German students 00:00:58:21 00:01:00:02 from Hessen were partnered with 00:01:00:02 00:01:01:29 ten Wisconsin host families, 00:01:01:29 00:01:03:02 from different areas 00:01:03:02 00:01:04:21 around the state. 00:01:04:21 00:01:05:27 >> The students that we're 00:01:05:27 00:01:07:12 meeting here today are all from 00:01:07:12 00:01:09:06 the state of Hessen. 00:01:09:06 00:01:10:18 Hessen is the oldest 00:01:10:18 00:01:12:23 partner region of Wisconsin 00:01:12:23 00:01:15:05 dating back to 1976. 00:01:15:05 00:01:16:06 >> I've never had a sister 00:01:16:06 00:01:17:10 before. 00:01:17:10 00:01:18:09 >> He's gotten along 00:01:18:09 00:01:19:14 with my friends really well. 00:01:19:14 00:01:20:14 >> She's really blossoming 00:01:20:14 00:01:21:11 here. 00:01:21:11 00:01:22:12 I'm really happy. 00:01:22:12 00:01:23:13 She really is like a part 00:01:23:13 00:01:24:16 of the family. 00:01:24:16 00:01:26:02 My dad has said that, too. 00:01:26:02 00:01:27:05 >> It's been really neat 00:01:27:05 00:01:28:21 having Laura here. 00:01:28:21 00:01:30:10 We've all grown really close 00:01:30:10 00:01:32:05 to Laura. 00:01:32:05 00:01:33:25 I'll miss her when she's gone. 00:01:33:25 00:01:35:17 >> I think he looks like... 00:01:35:17 00:01:36:26 >> I think it was almost 00:01:36:26 00:01:38:17 life changing for me. 00:01:38:17 00:01:40:04 >> It's really fun to have 00:01:40:04 00:01:41:20 a girl close to my age 00:01:41:20 00:01:42:29 in the house. 00:01:42:29 00:01:44:07 I wanted an exchange 00:01:44:07 00:01:45:23 where I could show a student 00:01:45:23 00:01:47:05 what life was like 00:01:47:05 00:01:48:24 here in a small town, 00:01:48:24 00:01:50:11 and then learn about their home 00:01:50:11 00:01:52:17 in equal parts of the year. 00:01:52:17 00:01:53:19 >> Layla is a wonderful 00:01:53:19 00:01:54:21 student. 00:01:54:21 00:01:55:22 I'm so excited for her 00:01:55:22 00:01:56:26 to get to do this. 00:01:56:26 00:01:58:00 She has been talking about doing 00:01:58:00 00:01:59:06 this since she was a freshman. 00:01:59:06 00:02:01:07 § § 00:02:01:07 00:02:02:24 I think this will impact 00:02:02:24 00:02:04:17 her future tremendously. 00:02:04:17 00:02:06:01 I think she'll get so much 00:02:06:01 00:02:07:13 out of this as a person, 00:02:07:13 00:02:08:18 but also for the future, 00:02:08:18 00:02:09:27 for her job, her life, 00:02:09:27 00:02:11:06 her interests. 00:02:11:06 00:02:13:20 § § 00:02:13:20 00:02:15:04 >> I took German, and it just, 00:02:15:04 00:02:16:17 I feel like it comes 00:02:16:17 00:02:17:29 really naturally to me. 00:02:17:29 00:02:19:19 (teaching in German) 00:02:19:19 00:02:21:13 It's probably my favorite class. 00:02:21:13 00:02:22:22 And probably the most fulfilling 00:02:22:22 00:02:24:12 part about it, is when you talk 00:02:24:12 00:02:26:29 to someone who speaks German. 00:02:26:29 00:02:28:26 >> She really cares about 00:02:28:26 00:02:30:01 being good at German, 00:02:30:01 00:02:31:07 because she really wants 00:02:31:07 00:02:33:05 to get fluent in it. 00:02:33:05 00:02:35:19 I'm on the JV dance line. 00:02:35:19 00:02:37:01 We perform at the JV basketball 00:02:37:01 00:02:38:11 games. 00:02:38:11 00:02:39:23 It's kind of cheerleading, 00:02:39:23 00:02:42:12 but more with dancing. 00:02:42:12 00:02:44:15 We also have hip-hop dances. 00:02:44:15 00:02:46:01 It's really good. 00:02:46:01 00:02:47:08 >> When the German students are 00:02:47:08 00:02:48:19 here, I think they get a clearer 00:02:48:19 00:02:50:09 picture of what America is. 00:02:50:09 00:02:51:13 It's not just yellow 00:02:51:13 00:02:54:16 school buses and McDonalds. 00:02:54:16 00:02:55:26 >> My favorite thing about being 00:02:55:26 00:02:57:13 here is meeting all these great 00:02:57:13 00:02:59:26 people, because people here 00:02:59:26 00:03:01:06 are more open, I think, 00:03:01:06 00:03:02:20 than in Germany. 00:03:02:20 00:03:04:15 I think I got a lot more 00:03:04:15 00:03:06:23 self-confidence since I'm here. 00:03:06:23 00:03:08:02 >> As far as our kids going 00:03:08:02 00:03:09:11 to Germany, I think it's a 00:03:09:11 00:03:10:25 great step towards independence 00:03:10:25 00:03:12:08 for many of them. 00:03:12:08 00:03:13:12 >> I think I'll gain 00:03:13:12 00:03:15:01 a lot of maturity over there, 00:03:15:01 00:03:17:05 in how I act in front of others. 00:03:17:05 00:03:18:14 I hope my German 00:03:18:14 00:03:19:24 will be phenomenal. 00:03:19:24 00:03:21:15 (laughs) 00:03:21:15 00:03:22:28 >> Her language will improve 00:03:22:28 00:03:24:01 while she's there, 00:03:24:01 00:03:25:01 but she's going into it 00:03:25:01 00:03:26:01 with a very strong, 00:03:26:01 00:03:27:06 strong background. 00:03:27:06 00:03:28:07 >> So, I'm like, 00:03:28:07 00:03:29:15 I'm really excited. 00:03:29:15 00:03:30:20 I want to like, meet a lot 00:03:30:20 00:03:31:20 of people. 00:03:31:20 00:03:32:24 >> German for the first 00:03:32:24 00:03:34:01 few weeks will be a challenge. 00:03:34:01 00:03:35:09 So be prepared, in other words. 00:03:35:09 00:03:36:14 >> At the end of January, 00:03:36:14 00:03:37:18 the ten Wisconsin students 00:03:37:18 00:03:39:01 and the ten Hessen students 00:03:39:01 00:03:41:10 flew as a group to Germany, 00:03:41:10 00:03:42:18 so that the Americans could live 00:03:42:18 00:03:43:27 with their Hessen host families 00:03:43:27 00:03:45:09 for the completion 00:03:45:09 00:03:47:15 of the exchange program. 00:03:47:15 00:03:48:26 The small town of Wickers, 00:03:48:26 00:03:50:11 in Hessen is home to Layla's 00:03:50:11 00:03:52:07 host family, including Laura, 00:03:52:07 00:03:54:11 her sisters and her parents. 00:03:54:11 00:03:55:18 >> Well, I think this program 00:03:55:18 00:03:57:15 is very good. 00:03:57:15 00:03:59:22 We would like to show them 00:03:59:22 00:04:02:27 how we live, and how we are. 00:04:02:27 00:04:05:11 It would be so good if in the 00:04:05:11 00:04:07:07 future if more of the American 00:04:07:07 00:04:09:10 students would take part 00:04:09:10 00:04:12:02 in this exchange program. 00:04:12:02 00:04:14:18 >> So, we have four daughters. 00:04:14:18 00:04:16:08 And we send now 00:04:16:08 00:04:17:23 two of our daughters 00:04:17:23 00:04:19:27 to an exchange program. 00:04:19:27 00:04:21:25 If you lived in a different 00:04:21:25 00:04:24:00 culture, you are more open. 00:04:24:00 00:04:25:06 And "open" 00:04:25:06 00:04:27:15 means also more flexible. 00:04:27:15 00:04:28:27 >> I have like a bigger picture 00:04:28:27 00:04:30:02 of the world. 00:04:30:02 00:04:31:12 I've made a lot of memories, 00:04:31:12 00:04:32:21 here, more than I thought 00:04:32:21 00:04:34:08 I would. 00:04:34:08 00:04:36:17 (speaking German) 00:04:38:21 00:04:40:08 It's given me an appreciation 00:04:40:08 00:04:42:00 of like what I've been given, 00:04:42:00 00:04:43:06 and opportunities 00:04:43:06 00:04:44:14 that I've been given. 00:04:44:14 00:04:45:25 I think the friendships I made 00:04:45:25 00:04:48:07 are going to last. 00:04:48:07 00:04:49:07 >> In Wisconsin, 00:04:49:07 00:04:50:10 I made a lot of friends. 00:04:50:10 00:04:51:21 I think I will always remember 00:04:51:21 00:04:53:10 my time there. 00:04:53:10 00:04:54:23 >> Here's my passport. 00:04:54:23 00:04:55:24 See, there's me. 00:04:55:24 00:04:56:21 It's real. 00:04:56:21 00:04:57:24 (laughs) 00:04:57:24 00:04:58:27 It's a treasured little 00:04:58:27 00:05:00:29 object now.