There are three international exchange students attending Holt from all over the World: Spain, Germany and Brazil. Most people who attend our school know at least one of them. However, students from Missouri who attend or have attended Holt also go out into the world in order to study or gain experience. Senior, Megan Wood is one of these students.

    Wood will be going to Germany in order to study and gather knowledge for her future career and will be attending Gymnasium, which is like our community college. Wood has been a member of the German Club and Class all four years she has attended Holt and has done other extracurriculars associated with German Language and Culture.

    “I was in German for four years, and I love the language and the culture. Last summer, I had the chance to go to Germany and some other countries and I absolutely loved it there. I want to be a German teacher, so going will help me better learn the language and culture,” said Wood.

    Wood was chosen to go to Germany after a rigorous application process that included a 13 page application, writing letters to host families that would potentially house her, an interview and approval by the German Government.

    “I knew I was going to get to go because there wasn’t very many applicants, but I was still excited about going because it was a long process with applications and interviews,” said Wood.

     Going to a new country also comes with cultural differences and shocks that one has to adapt to. This can be both exciting and frightening for someone like Wood who is changing their place of residence from one hemisphere to the other.

    “I’m excited about seeing the culture first hand and not just reading about it or seeing pictures and learning the history. My biggest worry about going to Germany is the food. They’re really meat heavy, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it. Also, I’ve been in four years of German, but I know that that is still not proficient to be fluent in the country,” said Wood.

    Whatever the worries, Holt is sure Megan Wood will be able to handle all of it and wishes her the best of luck on her travels and studying in Germany.