MEMOIRS OF AN ORDINARY WOMAN: Hanging With The Germans

Friday, March 17, 2017

Hanging With The Germans

Springfield High School

Springfield, PA

Yearly

Mid-October to November 5ish

Each year, two teachers and a group of their students come to my former high school and spend two weeks with us. They stay in the homes of students at my school. Then they head up to NYC for a week and roam the city. They've done this for about ten years now and their visits have become such tradition that i can hardly wait for them to arrive. Each year has brought us great fun and unique challenges.

I hosted one of the teachers for a couple of years. But then I moved away from the area. But each year, I still find my way to Springfield and spend time with them.

We usually meet for dinner the first night and then have a farewell dinner two weeks later. In the interim, we take walking tours of the city, visit breweries, head to the beach, go to Chinatown, eat cheesesteaks, hang at Sue's house, go to the outlet shops and watch them buy up a storm because the Euro is so much stronger than the dollar.

Mostly, we just talk with a comfort that does not notice the distance of our homes.

2012

In 2012, we were hit by Hurricane Sandy which derailed the trip to NYC. The week they were supposed to go to NYC was spent at my colleague's house. We spent the time on the phone, trying to re-arrange flight schedules so that the Germans could get home.

Bridget E Kelly with Kirsten Kollars and 3 others at Sue Descano's House.

October 30, 2012 at 10:07pmSpringfield Township, PA

Day five together and we are all still talking to one another. The trip to NYC for the Germans is definitely off.

2013

I went to NYC with them this year. While Tilman, one of the German
teachers, was in Philly, his son became iill. He returned to Germany
and I joined the group and spent the week in the Big Apple with them.
I introduced the students to NY pizza. They ate like pigs.