World culture gaps close through Internet
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

Staff photo by Barry Halvorson Learning the ins and outs of being a typical American high school student, German exchange student Calvin Boehm, center, is spending this year with Annette and Bud Carter. Having met Boehm's family several years ago when their own grandson was involved in an exchange program, the Carter's welcomed the opportunity to play host to their young friend.

While the differences in social life among teens around the world are rapidly closing under the influence of the Internet, movies, television and other pop culture connections, Calvin Boehm can attest to the fact there still are some important differences.

An exchange student at Wharton High School, Boehm's home is in Koblenz, Germany, a city located in the southwest portion of the country. He said among the more interesting differences is school spirit.

"You celebrate your school here," he said. "You have the sports teams and the pep rallies and the whole town is involved. In Germany, you just go to school for your education. The sports teams are clubs and not part of the school system."

Boehm admitted to being surprised by the enthusiasm people have for high school activities despite already being somewhat familiar with American culture. A high school sophomore, he has known his sponsor family, Bud and Annette Carter, since the fifth grade. The Carters met Boehm's family when one of their grandsons living in Austin, Kyle Carter, was involved in an exchange program. And while the families have stayed in touch, Annette admitted to initially being surprised about being asked to host Calvin.

"He e-mailed us last Christmas and asked about coming to live with us," she said. "But there wasn't any question about having him come here. He's like family."

But even having a "like family" relationship, Calvin had to go through the Nacel Open Door program to get a student visa.

"The U.S. State Department requires that a student pay tuition before receiving a visa," Annette said. "But in Texas, the TEA doesn't accept tuition students so we had to find an organization to work through."

Easing Calvin's transition has been his own athletic ability, which has earned him a spot on the Wharton High Tennis team.

"We started practice two weeks before school started so I met a lot of people through that," he said. Annette added that Calvin was also allowed to have a party for the team at their home just before the start of school to help firm up those initial bonds.

In discussing his hosts, Calvin said that he's enjoying his visit with only occasional bouts of homesickness.

He said he keeps in contact with family and friends through e-mails and text messaging but added that a little bit of separation is a good thing.

"I like living with the Carters," he said. "It's better in some ways than being with my own parents. My mom has a tendency to panic if I'm just five minutes late getting home."

Bud agreed, saying that he waits 10 minutes before panic sets in while Annette admits the situation is closer to a grandparent than parent relationship - which she says allows her to be slightly more indulgent.

In the short time he's been here, Calvin's readily adapted to some other strictly American and Texan culture. Admitting that in Germany he eats more home-cooked, family meals, in Texas he's learned to appreciate Pop Tarts and What-a-Burger but does miss his mom's salads.

Among the other similarities, he said, is musical taste. He said his favorite kind of music is German rap, which is apparently held in the same esteem by older adults as it's U.S. counterpart.

"My parents don't like my music," he said. "They think it's too loud and too violent. But I've got some of my friends here listening to it. A lot of the German rap songs combine both English and German lyrics so they can get into it."

Among the other cultural difference is the American and German approaches to driving and drinking. In the U.S., the driving age is 16 and the drinking age is 21.

In Germany, the drinking age for beer and wine is 16, 20 for alcohol but 17 for driving.

"But driving isn't that big of a deal because we can walk or ride a bicycle everywhere we want to go," he said. "But I'd like to get some instruction and maybe get my license and do some driving before going home."

The fact that most places are within walking distance might seem strange to Texans, who are used to spreading out, but then Calvin's hometown can trace its roots back 4,000 years to the Roman Empire, meaning it was designed with walking in mind.

So while driving isn't a major priority, Calvin said it is still something he's interested in - adding that on occasion, he is already getting some pointers and a chance to sit behind the wheel under controlled conditions.

Maybe by the time he goes home, he'll be ready to demonstrate Lone Star State driving skills on the Autobahn. The country might never be the same.