Freya, a German Au Pair in Carol Jungman’s Wilmette, IL cluster, took the opportunity to share German holiday traditions during her school presentation to a group of students at Highcrest Middle School.
Since the students have been learning German for over a year Freya spoke to students in German. Since she was in the class around the holidays Freya shared the Advent customs in Germany.
Freya explains: “I told them which German traditions are connected to this time of the year. For example the “Adventskranz”, a wreath with four candles on it (you light up one more every Sunday), the countdown calendar and the Saint Nicolaus. He comes in the night of 6th December and it was the morning after, so we talked about what everyone had in their shoe. The students got their own coloring countdown calendar on which they will work now every German lesson with their teacher. We learned a little poem together and in the end the children got a little treat for their active and interested behavior: a little chocolate gingerbread cookie.
This Global Awareness project was a wonderful possibility and addition to all the new experiences I can make during this year abroad. It was not only a good training to organize things and speak in front of a group, it was really nice to see how the kids like to learn new things. I am so happy to be part of this cultural exchange and hopefully have left a positive impression about my home country.”