Im Rahmen des Programms „MeetUS“ der US-Botschaft und der US-Konsulate in Deutschland besuchte Aubrey Nistler, eine junge Amerikanerin und Stipendiatin der renommierten Fulbright-Stiftung, am 5.2.2026 den Englisch-Leistungskurs/ MSS 12 und den Bili-Sozialkundekurs/ MSS 13 von Herrn Axt und am 20.2.2026 den Englisch-Leistungskurs/ MSS 12 von Frau Dieterle.
Im Zusammenhang mit dem Besuch beim Bili-Sozialkundekurs/ MSS 13 ist auch Aubreys Selfie entstanden (s. Bild oben); die MSS 13 hatte zu diesem Zeitpunkt gerade ihre Mottowoche!
Es waren sehr interessante und kommunikative Veranstaltungen, über die unten in den Berichten von Amelie und Lisa Genaueres zu lesen ist.
Wir bedanken uns sehr herzlich bei den Organisatoren von „MeetUS“ von der US-Botschaft und den US-Konsulaten in Deutschland für die Ausarbeitung des Programms und bei dem DAI (Deutsch-Amerikanischen Institut) Saarbrücken, insbesondere bei Frau Hauß, für die Vermittlung von Aubrey als Gastsprecherin im Rahmen dieses Programms am Sickingen-Gymnasium.
Last but not least geht ein ganz herzliches Dankeschön an unsere tolle Gastsprecherin Aubrey für ihren Besuch bei uns in Wallhalben und an den Förderverein des Sickingen-Gymnasiums für die finanzielle Unterstützung der Veranstaltung.
Und jetzt wollen wir Ihnen die Berichte von Lisa und Amelie nicht länger vorenthalten!

Lisa:
On Friday, 20 February 2026, we had the special opportunity to learn about the United States from someone who has experienced life there first-hand. Our English class had the pleasure of welcoming Aubrey, who shared her experiences of growing up in the US and gave us insights into her life in Minnesota.
We also got to know the “Meet US“ - programme she is participating in here in Germany. The DAI (Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut Saarland e.V.) is an organisation dedicated to strengthening German-American relations. It enables personal encounters between young Americans and Germans in schools, but also puts on different events such as Thanksgiving dinners or Halloween gatherings to promote intercultural understanding.
Aubrey prepared a presentation that first introduced us to the colder climate, the political situation and her daily activities in her hometown. This provided us with a realistic and comprehensible understanding of her everyday-life, making it easier to relate to her experiences.
She went on to highlight the similarities and differences between our everyday school life and her high school experiences. For instance, we learned about their participation in various clubs after class or about different activities like homecoming or prom. Her college experiences were particularly interesting for anyone thinking about studying in the United States.
We appreciated that she addressed topics that are relevant to people our age in general, including driving and other aspects. Many of us were particularly surprised to learn that the differences between various regions in the US are sometimes much greater than those between Minnesota and Germany. After we had the opportunity to ask questions, we were able to take part in a quiz she had prepared at the end of our lesson. Aubrey´s visit gave us the opportunity to get to know the US from a different perspective, and we are very grateful to her and the DAI for making this visit possible. We were able to learn many new things and connect much of what we already knew with real-life experiences.

Amelie:
Ein wenig U.S.A. in Wallhalben Building Bridges - „MEET US“ brings Minnesota to our classroom
Our English advanced courses recently had the opportunity to learn more about life in the U.S., expanding our theoretical understanding to real life experiences. These were shared by Aubrey Nistler, a young American woman who grew up in Minnesota.
She participates in the „MEET US“ Program from the U.S. Embassy, which is coordinated by the DAI (Deutsch- Amerikanisches Institut Saarland). The initiative connects German schools with young American exchange students, scholarship holders or professionals currently living in Germany. Their goal is for the students to gain a personal perspective on the differences between our nations and to strengthen German-American relations, which is also her personal goal in this job.
Aubrey started her presentation with an introduction and some information on her upbringing in the U.S. We talked about our prior knowledge on Minnesota and she definitely expanded that. One of her main points was the importance of the Native Americans living in Minnesota, she grew up with it and it has shaped her understanding to this day. Another key aspect of Minnesotan identity is their connection to nature, especially water. Not without reason is Minnesota or Mnisota (the native way of spelling) called the „land of 10,000 Lakes“.
After this she talked about her high school experience and repeatedly asked about ours, learning that with the many similarities, many differences also exist. In the U.S., schools organize many activities to build and improve the school community: Homecoming, prom, spirit weeks etc. - all strengthen the school spirit. A downside she mentioned is the rivalry between schools, that can sometimes be taken too far. The common occurrence that teenagers from the age of fifteen and upwards already have jobs, in which they work 10+ hours a week, also prominently shapes the identity of American teenagers. They, Aubrey included, teach them skills for later life, help them gain financial independence and prepare them for moving out, which many Americans do at the age of eighteen.

Even bigger contrasts can be found in her description of college life. Aubrey studied at „St. Olaf College“ - a small private liberal-arts college near her hometown for four years and one additional year in Washington D.C.. Especially striking for us are the high tuition fees and student loans, which result in high debt many American students face. And while we were pretty good at guessing her debt (35,000$) it is still so hard for us to grasp.
After sharing her life experience, she talked about what she likes most about life in the U.S. compared to Germany and an inside look on what might surprise us German students about life in the U.S.
The session became especially interactive during the open question round, in which we discussed travel recommendations, current political developments, and immigration policies. We concluded the visit with a Kahoot quiz on American pop culture and a small guessing game.
Overall, Aubreys visit provided us with valuable insights into the teenage years and educational experiences of American students. More importantly, it demonstrated how direct exchange can deepen intercultural understanding and relations.
This exchange also challenged stereotypes about the United States and instead of relying on media portrayals and theoretical facts, we had a authentic voice. Programs and interactions like „Meet US“ show that these relationships begin with conversations, sometimes in a classroom in Wallhalben.