Traveling from Germany to America, exchange student, Franz Koster, experiences his junior year here at McNeil High School. Koster is from Dusseldorf, Germany and traveled here to experience the famous American high school lifestyle as an exchange student. 

“It is really exciting, and it is so different from Germany, especially to Europe.”  Koster said. “I think it was more the excitement about Texas, it’s more the cowboy lifestyle.” 

Although moving more than 3,000 miles away from home can be scary, Koster’s positive and excited mindset and loving community made that move not so overwhelming.

“It wasn’t scary [coming to America] because I have always had people around me and never traveled alone,” Koster said.

Koster is a part of the waterpolo team and loves the supportive environment he created with the team. 

“It was a huge help,” Koster said. “I wasn’t really planning on doing waterpolo here [be]cause I wanted to experience something new, but my house family thought it would be better to start your school year with people you know, and I feel like the people I got to know in the water polo are really kind and gentle.” 

The culture made by him and his teammates allows for a fun and enjoyable season. Winning is rewarding, but being able to share that victory is rich.

“[My favorite part about water polo is] being in a team,” Koster said. “I wouldn’t say I am made for a sport of just being by myself, but if I have a good team then I like it a lot.”

The change from German culture to American culture is a huge obstacle to cross. However, even with its hardships, Koster experiences all the paths American culture has to offer.

“Germans are more rude than Americans, but if a German calls you a friend then you are their friend,” Koster said. “Some Americans make it up a little of the things they are saying and not mean everything 100 percent.  Germany you can travel by bike, here everyone travels by car. The schools here are way bigger, I had to adjust to that especially, we [in Germany] don’t have A and B days and our schools finishes at like 1:20 p.m. or 2:15 p.m.”

As for high school, Koster said he is loving his time here so far, and with the help of his new friends and waterpolo teammates, Koster always has a community to be himself in. 

I love seeing the dream of an American high school experience come to life everyday with my new friends” 

The American high school experience is not always like the movies. Attending a school the size of McNeil can be unexpected when only knowing the small town school life in Germany. 

“It is definitely a huge adjustment because it is so different from the one in Germany.” Koster said. “When you are an exchange student, you get located in cities that are not that big like Austin, so it’s easier to get along in your school.”

With the size of American schools, more opportunities are available. Koster said he enjoys all the new subjects taught here as it opens his mind to new knowledge he wouldn’t have gotten in Germany. 

“The subjects are different and you have like kind of more interesting subjects than in Germany,” Koster said. “You can specialize yourself into different areas.” 

“I am staying here [at McNeil] for half the year, that is what is planned for now,” Koster said. “I don’t know if I will stay for a whole year. I don’t know if it is possible to join the wrestling team after water polo because my cousin, who was an exchange student by himself, was requesting to join the wrestling team.” Koster’s interest in wrestling might persuade him to stay here for a couple of more months before heading back to Europe. 

With the big wide world ahead, it can be scary to picture a situation when not knowing what to do yet.. Like many, Koster is still figuring that out.

“I don’t really know [what to do in the future], [be]cause I have so many things I am interested in,” Koster said. “I kind of expected to go in the same direction as my parents because they went into the medical field, but I might want to do something different.” 

Koster has a bright future ahead of him, and with the help of his loving community and new friends, he is determined to live everyday to the fullest and take nothing for granted. “I am so thankful for all the opportunities that are to come and memories to create.”