A German exchange student currently in town enjoyed her visit to the historical Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria, already speaks a few words of Afrikaans and loves the spirit of the children.

Selected by the Rotary Student Exchange Programme, Julia Schüster (16) arrived in South Africa on 26 July. Her hosts, the Kloppers family of Makhado (Louis Trichardt) took her, among other places,  to the Voortrekker Monument, built to commemorate the Voortrekkers (pioneers) of the Great Trek in1835 -1854, when they left the Cape Colony and brought their culture with them to the interior of southern Africa.

“I liked the dances (volkspele) and the museum with the historical clothes and toys for the children,” said Julia, who wants to become a medical doctor. She comes from the town Gräfelfing near München.

“Goeiemore! (Good morning!) Ek is lief vir jou (I love you),” Julia said in Afrikaans, admitting that she struggles with the guttural g-sound and the rolled r-sound. “They also taught me some funny stuff to say in Afrikaans and then everybody would laugh,” Julia said, already good friends with Talita Kloppers.

“On my first day at Louis Trichardt High School, my exchange partner, Talita, was appointed as head girl. Everyone gave her a hug and I was very proud of her. I do her rounds with her and at assembly I can sit on a chair with her, while all the children sit on the floor,” Julia said.

Julia enjoyed the revue with musical items that the school staged. “I loved the spirit of the children. They have such a feeling of connecting to one another and being together. They are so proud of their school and they have the discipline to practise every day,” Julia said. She observed that the school has a major influence on the private life of the individual. “To me that is not bad, but maybe for a lot of German pupils, it would be a bit too much,” Julia said.

This coming weekend, Julia and the Kloppers family will visit the Predator Park, Mapungubwe National Park and Levubu. Julia will return to Germany on 4 September.