Cologne, Germany is a city with a population of 1 million that dates back to 50 A.D. You’ve probably heard of or seen the Cologne Cathedral. But may not be aware of New Trier’s very own former resident of the city, Fritz von Kunhardt.
Fritz moved to Winnetka with his family in June of 2010 when his father received an invitation to work for a fitness company in the Chicagoland area. The news was unexpected.
“That was probably the biggest shock of the whole trip,” he said. “He [his father] asked me if I liked the idea of moving to Chicago at the end of the school year. I was shocked. It was one of those questions I didn’t know how to answer right away. However, my whole family loved the idea to go, so, I didn’t really have a choice.”
Moving to Chicago was like being exposed to a new world. “The big cars, so many fast food restaurants, the limousines and so many cabs. The city itself is crazy. The huge houses and the clean and nice area where we live. It all was a culture shock,” he said. “[Cologne] is so different from Chicago.”
The language barrier proved to be one of the biggest difficulties of the move. “My English wasn’t as fluent then, and it took awhile to learn and understand. Living in an English speaking country where it is required to speak and work in English is complicated; it took about 2 years to fully settle into and understand and enjoy it,” Fritz said. “Friends are the key to learn English. They have taught me so much more than the ESL club has taught me in an entire year.”
As a senior, Fritz has seen the best and worst of what New Trier has to offer, but he is glad he got to know the school and its staff. “Teachers in Germany let you do the work, they don’t offer you help, and they let you down when you need help and support, not in a mean way, but to strengthen your own work. But here at NT it’s very nice to have teachers who offer help and all the support you need for papers. Fritz is very apprecative of the teachers and what they offer to students.
Teachers in Germany put a lot more pressure on you with homework and the big exams we have three times a year,” he said. “The teachers here at New Trier have been such a great help. They have been approachable. Students here at New Trier are so well protected and we’re offered endless help. Through New Trier I was able to accomplish good work successfully,” he said.