One comes from a village of 500 people in the mountains of central Germany, another from a city of 25,000 near Dusseldorf, and yet another from a tropical city in Thailand with a warm, steamy climate that could not be more of a contrast with New England in winter. But all three foreign exchange students at Bromfield have navigated the challenges of living in a foreign culture and hold at least one thing in common: all of them would do it again in a heartbeat.

Chrissi Rentz of Germany trades one small town for another as she prepares for an international career. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)

Chrissi Rentz, who comes from the small village of Everode, Germany, arrived in Boston as an exchange student with the American Field Service last August. A junior at Bromfield, Rentz had never stepped foot in the United States before she signed on to spend the entire year in Harvard. While the challenge of navigating a new language and a new culture without family close at hand has been difficult at times, Rentz was very positive about her experience.

“I’m really happy that I’m here,” she said.

Although she has studied English since the fifth grade, the challenge of putting the language into practice was sometimes difficult. “The first several weeks were overwhelming,” she said. After the first month was over, though, Rentz quickly got into the swing of things. “In the beginning, I thought in German, then one morning I was thinking in English.” In fact, American literature is now one of her favorite subjects at school, she said. “I’m reading The Scarlet Letter right now.” She is also hard at work on her third language, taking French 4 with Thérèse Keoseian.

Rentz appreciates the emphasis on academics at Bromfield, and likes the fact that everyone in school seems to want to work hard and do well. While the homework load is heavier, she said, the classes themselves are slightly easier than they are back home in Germany. When she returns to Everode, she will finish two more years of schooling to complete standard requirements before applying for college.

While South America was her first choice of exchange, her family preferred to send her to the U.S. for her first overseas experience. Rentz noted that teenage social life in Germany is far different from that of American teens, where older children still spend free time and vacation with family members. In Germany, she said, teens are more likely to socialize—and even vacation—with each other. There are other differences in the cultures, too, she said. “Americans are more spontaneous, and family and religion are more valued.” However, there is much less political divisiveness in Germany, she said, and there is more emphasis on leading a balanced life that includes time for family and pursuits other than work.

When asked what she would like if she could bring over one thing from Germany, she quickly said, “My mom. I really miss her a lot.” Rentz’s family in Germany includes her father, her mother and stepfather, and sister Stefanie, 15, and brother Dominik, 11. Rentz noted that while she is enjoying her exchange experience, she looks forward to being reunited with her family when she returns home at the end of June. After living the first half of the school year with the Backer-Verbits family on Candleberry Lane, Rentz is currently living with the Hettinger/Huber family on Myrick Lane.

In the meantime, she is working hard to lay the groundwork for what she hopes will be an international career. She is interested in economics and management, and would like to work on an extended volunteer project in Africa or Asia. She still wants to go to Costa Rica or Panama, too, and would happily live with a host family again. “I prefer to live with a family,” she said, “It’s a much better experience than just being a tourist.” Commenting on the sum of her experience so far, Rentz was very upbeat. “I would recommend it to anybody,” she said.

Elena Heider of Germany appreciates the dedication of Bromfield’s teachers to their students.

Elena Heider also comes from Germany and lives on Myrick Lane as well, with the Wilson family. The Wilsons became close friends of the Heider family when both lived in Chicago over 14 years ago. While she was too young to have any memories of the U.S., Heider was nevertheless enthusiastic about getting to know a new country—and a new way of life—for a year of high school. When the Wilsons offered to host her for a year, Heider quickly signed up with the German exchange organization called GLS.

While the first few months of navigating the geography and coping with the cold weather were challenging, Heider said, speaking English was never a problem. “I prepared myself by practicing [English] with a friend.” They watched old Disney movies and past seasons of Sex and the City, she said, listening to the dialogue of the characters. Reading American classics, however, was more difficult in the beginning: to understand the nuances of The Scarlet Letter, Heider found German translations in the library. Now that she is more comfortable with English, however, she reads the originals and names American literature with Miss Lanza as one of her favorite classes. “And history with Mr. Foster,” she added.

One of the differences she notices between her German school and Bromfield, she said, is the extra dedication teachers seem to bring to classes here. “Here they are working to teach,” she said. “It is not just a job for them.” In addition, she said, people are more open here, and she socializes with a larger group than she would at home. In Germany, friendships are fewer but have more depth, she noted.

Like Rentz, Heider remarked on the greater degree of independence enjoyed by German teens that often contrasts with their American counterparts. “In Germany, I can take a bike everywhere, and there’s public transportation.” Navigating the differences in culture and lifestyle has been part of the learning experience for her, Heider said. Also, she said, some of the differences in levels of independence are due to the large spaces between houses that don’t usually exist in her hometown, where most people and places are accessible by bike. In fact, the sheer size of Harvard was one of the surprises she had when she arrived: “I imagined it would be a lot smaller,” she said. “I’m amazed by the space between houses.”

Like Rentz, Heider also misses her family. She has two younger siblings: a brother named Damien, and a sister, Janina. Her father is a chemist who owns a factory, and her mother works in the family business as well. If she could bring one thing over from Germany that day, she said, she would bring her mom. But having so much time and distance between them has given her a new appreciation for her parents, she said.

Like her father the chemist, Heider also has a talent for biology and chemistry, and enjoys reading about science on the Internet. “I also like art,” she said. “And I like baking.”

Now that spring is approaching and the end of the school year is in sight, Heider is already nostalgic for her experience in Harvard. “I would definitely do it again,” she said. “I enjoyed my time here so much, and I have so many friends here: it will be hard to leave them.”

Mai Prompen of Thailand says that her foreign exchange experience has awakened her love of art.

When asked what she has enjoyed most about her experience in Harvard, Mai Prompen had a ready answer.

“The people,” she said.

Prompen, who comes from southern Thailand, is a senior at Bromfield this year. She signed on to come to the U.S. with the American Field Service exchange program when a friend casually mentioned the program to her one day at school. Prompen signed up to take the qualifying exam for the application, and one year later found herself stepping off the plane at Logan airport. She has been living with the Marteney family on Ayer Road this year, and has particularly enjoyed the experience of living in the same house with Matt, a senior, and Alyson, in eighth grade, she said. As an only child, having “siblings” has been a big part of the novelty of American life.

While math and science are very important in Thai culture, Prompen said, she has discovered her creative side during her time at Bromfield. “I love art.” Julie Cook is one of her favorite teachers, she said, although that list got longer the more she thought about it. “I really like American lit with Miss Lanza and 19th-century history with Mr. Foster,” she said, adding “Oh, and math and forensics with Mr. Menin.” She has also been active after school, running on the cross country team last fall and playing JV basketball as well.

The cold weather is the most challenging part of adjusting to life in New England, she said. Coming from a warm, tropical climate, the cold was a bit of a shock. Other than that, though, she said her adjustment to the new culture was relatively easy, and was quick to credit the kindness of everyone in the Bromfield community for making the transition so smooth for her.

When asked what she missed the most about home, she was quick to answer. “Thai food,” she replied. There are a number of things she enjoys more here in Harvard, however: free dress at school instead of uniforms, and the opportunity to participate in so many sports and other after-school activities. Also, because she is living outside of her country, Prompen said she likes the opportunity to talk about her homeland with other people, too. “I really enjoy sharing my culture,” she said.