German student says Springfield is ‘cool’

When Saskia Schaub, 16, told her friends in Germany that she would be coming to Springfield to attend school and live as a foreign exchange student, her friends laughed and provided good-natured teasing. “They thought it was very funny,” said a smiling Saskia, because they had heard of Springfield via the American animated sitcom, The Simpsons, that is a satiric adventures of a working-class family in the mythical city of Springfield. 

Although Saskia wasn’t familiar with The Simpsons show, she had watched many American movies and television  shows that gave her impressions of the American culture.  “I think I knew about American life from what I saw in films, but it’s really not like in the movies,” Saskia said during a recent interview.

Now, attending Spring-field High School as a participant in the Nacel Open Door program and living with Roger and Diane Hauth and their daughter, Katelyn, on the farm, Saskai says, “Springfield is ‘very cool.’” 

“It’s pretty here, and the people are so very nice,” she said.

Saskia chose to study in the United States to improve her English skills, and visit a community of comparable size to her home community.    “I had heard a lot about America and the lifestyle here and I thought I would like that,” Saskia commented. “I heard that the community is stronger and better here, and that’s true,” she said.

At Springfield High School, Saskia is studying with the juniors in algebra, American history, chemistry, music, art and English classes. She also participates in volleyball. “School is better here,” Saskia said. She enjoys attending a smaller school where “everybody knows everybody.”

She likes the American style of teaching, the technology, and the smaller classes in Springfield. She said her school in Germany has limited technology, and students do not have iPads.  She enjoyed homecoming last week. “We do not have homecoming in Germany,” she said.  There is a lot of emphasis on bullying awareness and prevention, Saskia noted, but thinks there is much less bullying here than in her home community. “I have never seen bullying here,” she said.

Saskia’s family home is in the small community of Arpke, near Hanover. Saskia’s father, Michael, is a banker, and her mother, Karen, works in a church office. She has two younger siblings, a sister, Valeska, 13, and a brother, Benedict, 11.

She enjoys movies, dances, television and good times like American teens. 

Life on the farm is different for her, but she is happy at home with the Hauth family.  The Hauths are enjoying their German student, too.   Hosting a foreign student is “something we’ve always wanted to do,” said Diane Hauth. “We thought this was a good time to do so, because Katelyn is our only child still at home.”

Saskia plans to travel with other Nacel students to New York City, Washington, D.C., and Niagara Falls next month.  She is eager for opportunities to experience more of the American culture and learn more about Springfield and life in Minnesota.