Hogan has enjoyed the unique experience of being a foreign exchange student.
Meet Linda Hogan from Germany
Linda Hogan addresses the many pros and cons of being a foreign exchange student
Welcome to “Walk in their shoes”, a column where we showcase our foreign exchange students and their homes throughout the year.
Linda Hogan (‘24) is from Germany.
Hogan is incredibly grateful for her opportunity to study abroad in the United States. She said it’s lovely in Colorado, but “of course [she’s] looking forward to going back [home]”.
Her friends are the reason she decided to look into being a foreign exchange student. “All my friends have studied abroad, so they really made me interested in it,” she shared. And even with the difficulties, Hogan does not regret the decision.
What surprised Hogan the most about the American education system was the fact that students have the liberty to choose their classes, something that German students don’t have the privilege of.
Back in Germany, Hogan enjoys playing fistball (which she described is similar to volleyball) as well as riding her horse, Canela. Hogan has really enjoyed taking advantage of the opportunity to continue to ride horses during her free time while she stays in Colorado.
Hogan spoke on both the pros and cons of her stay as a foreign exchange student. She said she misses a lot of things — her family, her friends, and most importantly, public transportation. “I don’t have a car or a bike, and if I [decide] to walk it’ll take me three hours [to get to my destination],” she said.
Hogan is used to the comfort of having access to public transportation in all cities and small towns. “My bus in Germany comes every ten minutes, and I can get to the next biggest city in 40 minutes,” she continued.
The most complicated part of becoming a foreign exchange student was the process of getting a visa approved, according to Hogan’s experience thus far. She said immigrant police officers asked her lots of ridiculous questions, and it was an extremely long wait.
Hogan said it has been super fun to get to live in and experience the customs of another country. She’s loved trying different habits and exploring American systems. But she did admit being a foreign exchange student can be really boring and sometimes lonely — sometimes you don’t have much to do and just stay at home since you don’t know as much what people do in their free time.
Overall Hogan has loved studying at Mead High, despite the challenges. We can’t wait to see what other adventures she looks into.
A miraculous sunset
A soft orange painted the sky, reminding me of the summer days gone by. The beating sun poured heat onto my back like a fresh coat of paint on a newly built house. The warm colors of summer swiftly danced as far as the eye could see. The timeless summer was coming to an abrupt end.
Slowly riding my bike down a narrow sidewalk lined with extravagant green and yellow trees, a cool breeze was slowly drying away the sweat trickling down from my forehead. I slowly stopped at the bottom of a monstrous hill, calling my name, begging to be conquered. As I was riding, my muscles were aching, and my hands started to blister from the handlebars. It didn’t phase me as I continued fighting up the hill. A driving force inside of me craved to see the mesmerizing work of art overlooking the top. I finally reached the top as dark green grass swayed back and forth in a rhythmic pattern; the eternal red and orange hues filled my body with warmth. A titanic wave of bliss and peace drowned out any negative feelings I had.
Something in me changed that fateful evening, something had clicked. No longer was I burdened by the weight on my shoulders. I felt reborn in a sense. The motivation and hope created by that sunset inspired me in a way nothing else ever has. I felt free from all the doubts and self-inflicted problems that I faced. Nothing could stop me from changing. This experience was and still is a pivotal moment in the development of my character. No more was I faced with issues from my past, I was focused and determined to move forward at all costs.
I felt free for the first time in my life.
Kadin Lengner is a senior. They enjoy working out at the gym, hanging out with friends, and taking showers. They are looking forward to working on the podcast this year and writing album reviews.