On Oct. 26 the chorus from The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Gymnasium in Germany arrived at Annandale High School to meet their host families that they will be staying with for the next two weeks.
The German exchange students stepped off their charter bus and onto the grounds of AHS at 6:15 a.m. and were eager to meet the Annandale chorus.
Alexander Weirether, a senior from The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Gymnasium who has done the exchange program twice now, said, “ I was very nervous when I first met my host family, but last time meeting my hosts ended up being my favorite part.”
Both the choruses shuffled into the school and started to talk with one another in Clausen Hall, where there were snacks and drinks set out for everyone to eat.
Sophomore Rachel Wilson, whose family has hosted the Germans in years past as well as this year, said, “My first thought when I met them was that they’re really tall, but I think that’s just because I was in sixth grade at the time,” she joked. “But it’s really cool to be the same age as them now and I love having them here. It is all so much fun!”
The German chorus students are touring D.C. and other locations while they’re visiting, including the University of Virginia.
“We’re planning on having a lot of things for them to do during the next two weeks, including taking them on a lot of tours and possibly laser tagging,” Wilson said.
The Annandale and Dietrich Bonhoeffer Gymnasium will be having a combined chorus concert at Cornerstone Church on Thursday, Nov. 4 and are having many rehearsals during their stay to prepare for it.
“It’s wonderful to see everything here and so much fun. I just love music,” Weirether said.
