Exchange Students Bid Farewell In 5 Languages

Jeri Christiansen, left, her son Doug, 13, and Henrik Luneberg the Danish exchange student they have hosted for the past year exchanged reminiscences around the pool at Wednesday night's Youth for Understanding farewell party.

They say "aufwiedersehen" or "adios" or "tchau" or "farvel" or "adjo."
They are saying "goodbye" in one of these languages - German, Spanish, Portugese, Danish, Swedish- because they are heading home after a year in the Ann Arbor area as exchange students in the Youth for Understanding program.
All 28 of the exchange students gathered with their local host families at the Huron Valley Swim Club Wednesday to eat hot dogs, drink pop and get relief from the heat before heading to their native lands.
Almost all of them agree school here is easier and there's a bigger variety of things being taught than at home.
"The classes are tougher in Germany," said Stephan Busemann of Muenster in West Germany. "I don't think I learned as much here but there are some very nice teachers here. They are a lot more friendly here. In fact, the teachers here impressed me the most."
Busemann, who lived for a year with Mr. and Mrs. Bill Wiechman of Dexter and attended school at Whitmore Lake, has also has been struck by the totally different attitudes on liquor in the two countries. He said that at home it is legal for anybody over 16 to drink beer and wine.
Antonia Penna, 17, of Recife, Brazil, saw her first snow last winter in Ann Arbor and she found the food sweeter than that in Brazil.
Living in Ann Arbor, she also was impressed by going class to class instead of staying in one classroom all day and breaking semesters into six-month periods.
Henrik Luneberg of Denmark has mixed feelings about going home.
"I hope to return," he said. Luneberg has been impressed by the different attitudes of the people in the two countries, the different way children are brought up, the size of the U.S., the long distances to be traveled. He said people here are "more outgoing.”
Anna Hakamsson, 17, said schools in her native Sweden don't have all the sports found in American schools and Swedish schools are tougher
"It's more like going to college in Sweden," she said, "but you don't have the choices of classes you do here." She also was introduced to her first television and radio commercials and a great number of TV channels.
From the viewpoint of a host family, Mrs. Jeri Christiansen said it has been a delightful experience to have Luneberg living with them for a year. The family requested a student from Denmark because the children's grandfather is from Denmark. Luneberg brought with him a book on Denmark and at Christmas the Christiansens exe changed gifts with Luneberg's family.
Six more students will arrive in late August from foreign countries
in hopes of locating with Ann Arbor t families, Youth for Understanding
Area Representative James Krick - said. - The host families provide room - and board for the students, who are * responsible for their transportation and clothing while YFU provides insurance. All of the students speak English.
Krick and his wife Barbara soon will travel through Europe to visit eight students they have been host to in past years. Then they will be e host to their ninth, a student from - Sweden.
Further information on the prok gram can be obtained by phoning g the Kricks at 663-6472 or writing them at 2455 Newbury Ct., Ann Arbor 48103