Ten students and two adult chaperones from Leinfelden-Echterdingen (LE), Germany were welcomed to the USA by YTA members Betty & Doug Stein and Hank Groat upon arrival at Dulles airport then transported to a meeting place in Spring Grove. Host families were excited to greet them and start two weeks of adventures together.
Weekends were spent with host families who took them on a variety of adventures including a trip to Washington, D.C. Throughout the weekdays, YTA members kept the German group busy by taking them to visit many places including Hershey Chocolate World, Hershey Outlets, Indian Echo Caverns, Gettysburg, Lancaster Amish Farmhouse, Sturgis Pretzel factory in Lititz, Baltimore Aquarium and Fort McHenry.
The group also took a walking tour of York that included stops at York’s Colonial Court House, the Gates and Plow Tavern, lunch at Central Market, soap making at Sunrise Soap, a visit with Mayor Helfrich at City Hall, a tour of the Strand and Capitol theaters, and a stop to take photos of the murals in Royal Square. Another day the group was treated to a tour of the Capitol building in Harrisburg with Rep. Seth Grove and also
toured the PA State Museum. Students and chaperones also got to shadow students at York College for half a day, then play laser tag and go bowling at Laser Alleys. In addition to all of those activities students spent three days attending high school with their host ‘brothers and sisters’ while chaperones shadowed high school German
teachers. Along with their host families the German visitors attended a YTA meeting, enjoyed a farewell picnic dinner, and attended a high school football game. Though there were long hugs and some tears when it was time to say farewell, everyone left with wonderful memories and friendships that will last a lifetime!

Quelle: tete a tete Dec 2023