In the early months of 2020, a highly-infectious virus began to spread worldwide. This ailment was named Coronavirus Disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, and it put much of the world at a standstill. GAPP was no exception, with international travel heavily affected.
The Pandemic Grips Germany and the U.S.
As case counts rose through February and March, Berlin saw its first reported case on March 2nd of 2020. By mid-March, mandates began to close the borders to several neighboring countries, including Austria, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, and Sweden.
On March 12th, Former President Donald Trump announced a 30-day travel ban for anyone trying to enter the U.S. from Germany. The following day, German officials in 14 of the 16 federal states voted to close educational centers, including primary schools, high schools, and colleges.
Schools would open and close in Germany and the U.S. as the pandemic came in waves, with some closures lasting for large parts of the year. The German government also restricted travel, and it became difficult or impossible for exchange students to go from the United States to Germany and vice versa. Masking and distancing requirements, while necessary, reduced the amount of interaction students could have with one another. In-person teaching was suspended in large parts of both countries, with much of the educational system transitioning online.
GAVE Officially Launches in July of 2020
With all exchanges suspended, GAPP needed to find a way to continue allowing students to interact and learn about each other’s culture. In July of 2020, GAVE launched. As GAPP’s first virtual exchange program, GAVE allowed schools in Germany and the U.S. to continue their cooperation in an online format. The program was designed with several objectives in mind, including:
- Bridging the gap in exchanges canceled due to COVID-19
- Preparation for a future exchange that will involve traveling to the host country
- Staying in touch during a period where travel is not possible
- Provide students with affordable cultural experiences
- For teachers, the GAVE program involves several webinars explaining how to conduct the exchange, assistance in finding a partner school, a roadmap for how the GAVE program will be, and suggestions and materials to help them facilitate student experiences.
How GAVE works
The program itself, which can be four weeks or six weeks long, begins with student introductions so participants can get to know other exchange students and hosts. Then they have several assignments, half in German and half in English, to learn more about their partner student’s background and country. Finally, the program ends with a reflection on what students learned and their plans for in-person exchanges.
Through this process, students get to see what it’s like to live in their partner’s country, experiencing the culture of other exchange participants. Finally, for the reflection part of GAVE, students discuss their virtual exchange experience and how they will stay connected for the future.
GAPP Today
As pandemic restrictions became lighter and international travel opened up, GAPP began facilitating in-person exchanges once more. GAPP retained most of its partnerships through COVID, with over 800 schools participating today. While student numbers dropped significantly in 2020, 2021 saw a return of higher student participation, with several classes already signed up for 2022. Much of this new growth is thanks to the stop-gap measures provided through GAVE.
