German exchange student excited for school year abroad

Linda Esser, Holyoke JR/SR High School’s only foreign exchange student this year, has always been interested in different languages and cultures.

She has certainly already experienced some differences between Holyoke and her home city of Düsseldorf, Germany, which has a population of over 600,000.

“It’s really small,” Esser said of Holyoke, “and everybody knows each other.”

Esser is part of the junior class this year. She has settled in with host parents Bret and Lori Kramer. She said she has always wanted to live abroad for a time at some point in her life, and she’s excited to experience the differences between the two countries.

In Germany, Esser lives about five minutes away from her school and often rides her bike to get there. Now, living in rural Holyoke involves more planning and coordinating rides to get from place to place since things are farther away.

Another difference she has noticed is how quickly food is prepared in the U.S., with people often just grabbing something to eat on the go. Of course, people eat microwavable meals and fast food in Germany, but she said it doesn’t seem to be as popular.

In school, she is looking forward to her class in American history — a subject she said German students are not exposed to as much.

Esser is also excited for sports in the U.S. She did track in Germany and was also a lifeguard, so it’s natural that she is eager for the swimming and track seasons.

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