Through the hustle and bustle of the hallways in WA, it can be difficult to identify every person who fills the building. However, many have the ability to become a familiar face along the way. With his kindness and personability, junior Noa Zinn has quickly become one of those people for the students at WA through his full-year stay with the German Exchange program.
Originating from the small town of Nörten-Hardenbergin, Germany, Zinn is no stranger to the exchange experience. Initially, he wanted to spend a semester in Canada, but after partaking in the three-week partner exchange WA offered in August 2023, everything changed. Zinn was transfixed by the beauty of Westford and the welcoming environment he was greeted with.
After some research, Zinn found that his school offers German students the opportunity to spend one to two semesters living and attending school in Westford. He quickly seized the opportunity to pursue his America-filled dreams and promptly started in the fall of 2024 with a plan to stay here for the entirety of the school year living with his previous host family.
“I really wanted to get to know a high school and the life surrounding it,” Zinn said. “During those three weeks [in August 2023], I made some great friends which was my reason to apply for the long-term program. The United States always had an important spot in my mind.”
The community at WA has been a highlight of Zinn’s stay. He quickly made many friends and was embraced by the supportive and helpful nature of the people he encountered. Zinn was also a part of WA Boys’ Swim and Dive, where he was able to meet like-minded people who shared his passion for swimming.
“Recently, it’s almost been like a reunion since our time together during the German Exchange back in August. That’s when I’d say Noa had the most significant impact on me—when I lived in his house for a month,” Zinn’s host exchange partner and senior Rithvik Raghunath said. “He has been instrumental in shaping the person I am today, and I am certainly a better person with a broader lens on the world thanks to him.”
Through the full-year exchange, Zinn was exposed to many opportunities that the members of the shorter exchange did not have. Instead of following someone around during the school day, he was able to choose classes and electives that catered to his interests. Zinn took this opportunity to delve into one of his passions and enrolled in three different science classes: AP Chemistry, Honors Physics, and Forensic Science. He was also able to attend events that take place later in the year, including winter and spring sports games, and Cotillion.
A major difference that Zinn experienced was that, opposed to his school in Germany, students at WA have classes with multiple grades. Additionally, German students register for up to 16 standard level classes, rivaling WA’s required seven courses that range in difficulty from college prep to advanced placement.
“I do enjoy [fewer] classes more than having all those classes because I have more free time to spend with my friends and live in the moment,” Zinn said.
Along his journey, Zinn encountered some problems. Although he was very skilled in the English language, he was not completely versed in the little nuances embedded into how Americans spoke. According to Zinn, it was difficult for him to absorb every aspect of a lesson or things classmates said in passing. However, he was able to overcome this hurdle with support and aid from different staff and students throughout the building. By the second semester, he didn’t encounter any language barrier whatsoever.
Zinn also battled with homesickness in the first couple of months due to the thousands of miles that separated him and his family.
“I couldn’t really sleep, couldn’t really focus. But after the third and fourth month came around, I realized that I could do so much better for myself,” Zinn said. “That was a turning point for me and I struggled less and less.”
As the school year comes to a close, Zinn is filled with a variety of emotions towards the conclusion of his exchange. The experience gave him lifelong, happy memories that he’ll always look back on fondly. He was able to pursue his childhood dream of the American high school experience with a group of friends he will remain close with for years to come.
“I went through nine months at this school, and they just flew by. I don’t know where the time went, but I had a great time. The next few months I have left, I will do the best I can to look forward to my return,” Zinn said.
