Junior Natasha Netter is an exchange student from Germany. She has been here since the beginning of school, and so far, she says she is loving her experience at Chisholm Trail and is considering coming back to America and living here. 

“American high school is so far pretty awesome,” Natasha said. “It is totally different from my school I went to in Germany, I really like the atmosphere and the teachers are also way more relaxed.” 

Natasha doesn’t let the pandemic stop her. She has been able to stay here and plans on staying here the rest of the year. This is her first time being an exchange student in the U.S., and she has noticed some differences between the high schools here and in Germany. 

“I would say the main difference is that in the school I went to we did not have school that long, My school started at 7:50 a.m. until 1 p.m. and we do not have a lunch break,” Natasha said. “We had two 20-minute breaks after every two periods. We also don’t have sport activities in our school. We have to do sport in private like a club, which I think is not that great.” 

America is leading in most COVID-19 cases and Germany is the tenth highest in COVID-19 cases. Nathasha said can see the differences from how Germany has been handling the pandemic versus how America is. 

“Germany is currently under a lockdown. Everything is closed except grocery stores and pharmacies,” Natasha said. “Munich, Germany, where I come from, has a curfew so they are not allowed to leave their house from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m., just for emergencies. They also have to wear specific masks and all the students have school from home. Here in America is nothing. Most of the stores are open, and you only have to wear your mask, and that’s it.” 

Natasha wanted to move out of Germany to another country and wants to come back to America and live here permanently.  

“I would love to live here,” Natasha said. “After this exchange year, which is ending in May, I go back to Germany for just a few months, and then I am going to a college which I am very excited about.”