Rockway/ Weierhof Exchange
This past summer nine Grade 11 French and German language students, along with their chaperones Rosemarie Tossell and Dennis Wikerd, embarked on a nineteen day exchange visit with Rockway’s host school Weierhof Gymnasium.
Living with families from the Weierhof school community, the participants had a glimpse into the lives of their European host families. The hosting experience included numerous day excursions in the local community, Rhine River cruise, visit to the historical cities of Heidelberg and Mainz, and guided tours of Burg Eltz castle and the Roman ruins in the city of Trier.
Following their stay in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany, the group traveled to Paris. Highlights included: Sunday Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral; tour of the Louvre and Museum d’Orsay; a climb up the Eiffel tower and the Arc de Triomphe; a visit to Versailles and Napoleon’s tomb; and a stroll down the Champs-Elysées – all memorable moments in Paris.
Following their visit to Paris, the students concluded their trip with a five day visit to Strasbourg, home to the European parliament. During their six day stay in Alsace, the students gained an appreciation for the unique blend of French and German culture that makes this one of the most interesting regions in France. Highlights included: two medieval castles, Fleckenstein and Haut-Koingsburg; European Parliament, an important symbol for bridging political and cultural diversity among the member nations of the European Union; Camp Struthof, a former German concentration camp in the Vosges mountains; Notre Dame de Strasbourg; and numerous cultural sites in the Strasbourg area.
Our students look forward to the reciprocal part of this exchange in September/October during which they will welcome into their families and school community their German host partners.
Dennis Wikerd
Rockway/Weierhof Exchange Coordinator
