Germany

Audrey Culipher’s ’26 Adventures Living in

Germany

I moved to Germany during the summer between sixth and seventh grade, during the height of Covid. We had to move because my father had been deployed over to Ramstein, Germany in December; my mother wanted to keep our family together, so we moved over the summer. This would be my second time traveling outside of the US, but my first time to Germany. The day we left the US was a nerve-racking day; in the morning we were cleaning the house, and in the afternoon we were saying our goodbyes to our cousins and our dog, Tucker. Leaving everything we knew and were accustomed to was hard, but leaving behind all our family and our dog was really hard, especially for my two younger sisters.

After arriving in Ramstein, Germany, we moved into a small bachelor apartment where our dad was staying. Our mother had to go back to the US for work so it was just us four kids and our dad in a two bedroom, one-bathroom home. We lived in

that apartment for the majority of the summer until our dad found a house for rent. We soon started school

at the DODEA school on se, that is where I met m base, that is where I met some of the best friends I had ever had.

We never visited the US at all during those two years, but we had our grandparents on both sides come to visit. The best part of living in Germany was that we could travel to three different countries in about an hour or two.

Audrey Culipher’s ’26

Adventures Living in continued

Germany

One day, we decided to go to Paris, so we bought tickets for a two-hour train ride to Paris. The worst part was that the further out into the countryside we got, the less people spoke English. At times it could also be hard to drive and park in Germany because of the small roads and small parking places.

Education

While I lived in Germany, I attended Ramstein Middle School -- a Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) school on the US Air Force Base in Ramstein. However, while attending school on the US AFB, we learned all about the German culture and their education system.

Kindergarten is for children between the ages of two to four, and at age five they are ready to attend Grundschule (elementary school) from grades first to fourth. After Grundschule, kids have to choose one out of the five types of secondary schools: Hauptschule, Realschule, Mittelschule, Gymnasium, or Gesamtschule. Hauptschule is for students who wish to enter trade school and offers apprenticeship opportunities. Realschule is the most popular for students to attend; it is most similar to high schools in the US for its academic standards. There students have to take one foreign language for about five years. Mittelschule is a combination of both Hauptschule and Realschule; it is also very uncommon and can be found in only some states. Gymnasium is an academic secondary school. It has higher math and science classes and requires students to learn two languages. Gesamtschule is another school similar to American high school and is a combination of three secondary schools.

Audrey Culipher’s ’26

Adventures Living in continued

Germany

Sites

Germany has many places that are worthy of seeing. Some of the more popular places were cities like Berlin; the places I liked to explore the most were the castles and cathedrals of Germany.

When we first moved to Germany, we saw the Kusel Castle. It's more of a ruin now but it still holds so many memories of us climbing to the top of the hill where the ruins of a great Castle lay, surrounded by the many fields and trees and forests. In the city of Trier, you can find one of the oldest cathedrals in Germany, and not far from the cathedral, you can find the gate to the city that was put up by the Romans. The city of Trier has a lot of Roman influence in it, with the many columns and ruins of columns scattered around the city. I have many memories of going to the Trier Cathedral for Mass and getting ice cream and a little shop next to it and walking down to the Porta Nigra.

While in Germany, we ventured on the Rhine River; one summer, we took a boat down a small portion of the river, ate goulash, and looked at the beautiful view. Another notable city that I visited and recommend to anyone traveling to Germany is the city of Cologne. In Cologne, we saw the famous Cologne Cathedral; with its Gothic design, it can be seen from miles away. Although the Cologne Cathedral suffered nearly 15 hits by aerial bombs during World War II, this amazingly designed and detailed Cathedral remained standing amidst a flattened city.

photos courtesy of: Audrey Culipher’s mom

Audrey Culipher’s ’26

Adventures Living in continued

Germany

Food and Drinks

Germany prides itself with some of the best sausages and beers in the world. When you go to Germany there is not one menu that doesn’t offer bratwurst, schnitzel, and their many variations. Bratwurst is a sausage that is made from pork (sometimes veal or beef), air dried, and put in a bun to enjoy. Schnitzel is made from a cut of meat that is pounded thin, breaded, and then fried into flaky goodness. Goulash is a traditional Bavarian stew that is made of beef, tomato paste, onions, many spices, and sometimes wine. Goulash is normally served in the winter to make you nice and warm in the cold weather. When talking about German drinks, beer is the most popular. Pilsner beer is the most popular German beer and is commonly served to guests at restaurants. At fourteen years old, you can order a beer with your parent’s permission, and at the age of sixteen, you can order a beer for yourself. Fanta is another popular drink that originated in Germany as an alternative to American Coca-Cola. In WWII, Americans didn’t want to trade with Nazi Germany; one of the American products was the syrup in Coca-Cola. With the lack of the necessary ingredients, Germany created Fanta using whey, apple fibers, orange skins, and finally, sugar beet.

Living in Germany was an experience that I will never forget; it gave me some of the best days of my life. I plan on returning to Germany for University if I excel in my German class this year and pass the entrance exam.