Exchange Student Greta Fleiss

Addition to Nafo

German Exchange Student Greta Fleiss

by Bethany Knode

Last hugs goodbye, tears, anxiety. On August 1st Greta Fleiss decided to say goodbye to everything she had known to go to a country full of mysteries and possibilities. She left Germany and embarked on a 20-hour journey by herself to America.

From a town called Essen, Greta spent most of her time with her friends and loved to be outside in nature. Sometimes she would visit her distant family by train and she cherished times like that. She would also go to the Baltic Sea with her family. However, it was time for her to go on an adventure on her own.

“My mom and sister went to the airport with me and we said goodbye at the security gate,” Greta said. Her plane ride was full of worries. “Not getting along with my host sister. Not finding friends. Being stressed” were just a few of her thoughts coming over she said.

She tried to remember why she wanted to come to America this year. “I wanted to experience it on my own and maybe learn English better,” Fleiss said.

Once arriving with her host family, she started to feel comfortable. “She seemed very open with how this family runs,” her host mom, Cindy Knode said.

She has fit in easily with her family but had to make some hard adjustments. “The food is different and definitely the water. It’s disgusting,” Greta shared.

She immediately noticed how the culture was different. “The schools are totally different from how we

do things at mine. it’s weird having the same classes each day,” Greta said. Her host mother has been very impressed with how she has reacted to everything she has seen in America so far. “She has seemed to fit in well–except for thinking everything is either fancy or weird,” Host mom Cindy Knode said laughing. While she has been here almost four months she has made some great memories. “The day in Washington when we went to the Capitol and Library of Congress and went to see “Dear Evan Hansen the musical,” she said was her favorite so far. There are also some fun events coming up with her host family. “Christmas will be fun and being able to decorate for it,” her host father Dave Knode shared. She also looks forward to upcoming events, she says. “Prom shopping will be exciting,” host mom Cindy said. German Exchange Student Greta Fleiss Yet homesickness is also not a stranger to her. She celebrated her 16th birthday only a couple of days after arrival. “We knew that she wished she could’ve been in Germany with her family and friends for her birthday, but we tried to make it just as special and memorable for her,” Cindy shared. She deals with her homesickness in multiple ways. “I have my journal,” Greta said. She also calls her mom, sister, and her friends almost every day. -It’s been hard for her to adjust, but she greatly has been enjoying Nation Ford and is excited to be a part of the Nafo family.

Left: After purchasing a cowboy hat, German exchange student Greta Fleiss enjoys a Zack Brown Band concert in Charlotte Spectrum Center in August. Center: Fleiss takes a selfie In her room in her hometown of Essen, Germany before coming to America. Right: Dressed up for the Homecoming dance, Fleiss poses for her pre-dance photo with friends in October.