Wide-open spaces, starry-night skies, and big city lights are synonymous with the Texas experience, and people from other countries usually have a lot of preconceived notions about what it is like to live...

“Alright, have a good first day of school, don’t be nervous, you’ll have fun.” The passenger door closes, and the driver drives away. The new student clenches the straps of their back pack and begins heading towards the entrance of the school. Their feet drag as they are hesitant to walk inside, their stomach turns, and they feel sick. As they walked inside, their eyes begin to look in all directions, especially at the hundreds of students filling the cafeteria running around and yelling. The whistle blows and suddenly the kids begin heading to class. With their schedule clenched in one hand, the backpack strap in the other, they read the room number and head to their first class at the new school. Starting at a new school can be overwhelming, encountering a new culture only makes things more difficult.

Language barriers. Cultural faux paus. Distance from loved ones. Change is frequently difficult no matter how small, but embracing a new country as a teenager creates a unique set of obstacles. Katharina Pahl and Suse Lalla are both exchange students from Germany who have made the decision to move from their home all the way to Bryan. They made that choice to experience America and its culture while finding that the obstacles are eclipsed by the adventure of something new.