… and then the end of the exchange was upon us. Tears were shed, but we look back to exiting two weeks and remember friends we have made, that we will see in spring again in Basel, and that maybe will be there for life.

Thanks to all that have viewed our blog, we had a peak of 329 views on a day and a total of 2721 views up to today!

 Three extraordinary video clips from our expedition, made by Sofia!

With excitement for the day before me, I woke up early on Friday. With the thought of possible cold wind on the boat to go whale watching, I dressed warm enough and even packed a scarf for the day. After my breakfast that consisted of fruit loops and a cup of coffee, my host mom drove me to the train station. At this point, all of us were basically professionals at using the Commuter Rail to get to Boston. On the short walk to the harbor to catch the whale watching boat, we were all guessing what species of whales we might see and talking about what plans we had for the evening.

The boat ride was long, but most of us felt good. When we arrived at the National Marine Sanctuary, we got instructed on what we should be looking for to spot whales from a distance. After a short time of everyone scanning the horizon no one other than our favorite biology expert (Mr. Frey himself) found not just one but THREE humpback whales! The biologist that was on board explained to us that it was a baby whale with its mother and the other adult was called an "escort". We got to see several whale spouts like in a comic and how they dive down like mermaids. It was simply a magical experience. All the excitement and wind made me tired, so I slept on the way back. 

 

I spent the last few hours we had in Boston enjoying the sun in a park. Others went to buy their last souvenirs or just had a Boston adventure.

Back in Reading I got ready for the Farewell Party. Everyone was there and ate dinner together. Afterwards everyone had different plans. Some went to the football game, while others went to a Scream Park. I went to meet my newly gained American friends for a last time. But everything comes to an end and after many hugs and promises to visit each other somewhen in the future, I went home to sleep one last time in my American bed.
 
Li

Greeted by a cloud-filled sky we started our day, once again, on the school bus. This time Salem was our destination.  After a bumpy but brief ride we arrived earlier than anticipated. With some extra time on our hands, we scattered around Salem to enjoy the autumn atmosphere and drink the first (or perhaps second) coffee of the day. 

  

  

Following a dramatic show at the Salem Witch Museum and its teeny-tiny additional exhibition, we visited the memorial of the nineteen innocent victims executed during the witchcraft hysteria in 1692.  It is safe to say that we were not the only ones visiting Salem today, since the town is particularly popular during the approaching Halloween festivities. 

At around noon we all spread to explore the witch shops, haunting houses, restaurants and as you can see, the pillory. Almost any building you`ll find in downtown Salem is a store selling objects related to witches. Be it T-shirts, jumpers, costumes, tarot cards, spell books, herbs, wolf fur and even preserved spiders and snakes. There are dozens of people offering anything from seances to aura determinations. Many visitors were dressed as stereo-typical witches/wizards. Wearing pointy hats, lilac belts and leather boots. So much so that I almost felt that Halloween had arrived early this year. 

After our ride back and an early arrival at RMHS we headed in diverse directions. I went to a large retail shop. Snooping around in the isles of these enormous stores is amazing. There is an abundance of different products unavailable in Switzerland and the sizes keep blowing my mind. In the evening my host-mother prepared a mock Thanksgiving dinner after I`d told her we do not celebrate it at home. I really appreciate the gesture and could end the day on a fulfilling rich note. 

  

Johanna C.

Today was one of those days that were perfectly balanced. Relaxed, yet filled with new discoveries. The original plan was going whale watching, but then it got postponed to Friday due to bad weather (I'm still very excited for this day to come). 

Upon our arrival in the city center of Boston we split into groups depending on which cultural activities we wanted to do. One group wanted to visit the Museum of Fine Arts, some were interested in seeing the Aquarium, still others wanted to go to the Science Museum. The group I was part of wanted to visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

 

First, we had some free time which we used to shop for clothes in a thrift store, I don’t do that very often so it made me really happy once I had found a pretty sweatshirt. It was a huge store and no one left empty-handed. 

 

 

After the successful thrifting, we were in need of a little break. We found this sweet little cafe, the perfect spot to sit back and recharge. The delicious coffees and teas and the pastries were just what we needed. It gave us time to relax and chat about the past adventures  and what is still to come.

Fully recharged, we made our way over to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. We were amazed by the beautifully designed rooms with a mix of sculptures, paintings, and artifacts, all coming together to create an aesthetic masterpiece. On the picture above you can see a glimpse of the pretty courtyard (my personal highlight) which was located in the center of the museum. 

 

 

I spent a relaxed evening eating delicious homemade meatballs made by my host mom and going on a late night shopping spree with my host sister and our friends. Once again we enjoyed a wonderful day, which we will never forget.

 

 

Seraina

We started our day at the high school and got picked up by one of these typical yellow American school buses. I was very excited to experience the real American field trip vibe. But having sat on one of these, I can say for certain that they aren’t the most comfortable seats there are. Well, after a 90-minute ride, we were thoroughly shaken and happy to step out of the bus and continue on foot. Luckily, the dark clouds had vanished from the sky and we could enjoy our arrival at Plymouth Patuxet in bright sunshine and with a beautiful view on the Atlantic ocean. 

I've always wanted to catch a glimpse of the past and travel back in time. Today this was possible! 

  

On Plymouth Patuxet there is an accurate replica of one of the first villages in the USA, originally founded by the first European settlers in 1620. There were actors who, by wearing the appropriate clothing and by using the language of the first settlers, really made us believe that we had landed in the year 1620. 

  

Additionally, we could visit a house as it was used by the Wampanoag, a Native American tribe. On the site, we were able to talk to representatives of the tribe and ask them questions. This led to many interesting discussions. 

 

  

Besides getting engaged in many exciting conversations, you could also participate interactively in the everyday life of the first settlers. 

  

For example, you could help them cook or simply play the same games as the children did at that time.  And for those who were already too tired or a little hungry, the cafeteria and the Gift Shop offered the perfect place to get a break. 

Just after we arrived back in Reading, I went to the cross-country meet of my host sister. The meet was held in a beautiful location. Surrounded by trees whose leaves were starting to turn orange and with the last rays of sunshine on our skin, we cheered for all the runners from Reading Memorial High School. 

  

All in all, it was yet another beautiful fall day here in Boston.

Anna

Today we went to Harvard, one of the most famous universities of the United States. I was so excited to finally see this place in real life because you always hear so much about it. We had a great tour and learnt a lot about the history and how it is to actually study here. But to be honest, I was a little bit disappointed because my expectations were so high. I thought that everything would look much older and would feel much more like a movie. Anyway, the campus was very beautiful and I loved walking around it. 

After our student-led Harvard tour, we visited the Glass Flower exhibition at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. At first, I didn't even realise that all these plants were made out of glass because they looked so real. It was so beautiful and I couldn't believe that these were actually all handmade. They were so fragile and even the smallest details were shown. There was also a stone exhibition with the prettiest cristals. They looked as if they came straight out of a fairytale.

 

 

In the afternoon, we were allowed to spend some time in the city. Time to pick up some gifts for our families. However, we couldn't really find what we were looking for in these souvenir shops. Instead, we enjoyed walking through Boston and having a look at all the beautiful streets till we had to meet at the train station.

 

 

Today was also the birthday of Eleonora's exchange student so we celebrated it with her whole family and her friends. We ate a delicious cake and had a great time at her house. It was so much fun. 

 

Johanna E.

Today (Sunday), I was able to sleep in until 10am, it felt wonderful, as I have become a bit exhausted after an exciting first week in Reading. After that I got ready for the Red Sox vs. The New Yankees' baseball game. Wearing the right clothes to support the Red Sox I went to the game with the other Swiss students and their hosts. The game was really fun to watch although the rules are a bit complicated. 

 

After the game, we walked around Boston. On our way to Boston Common, we got coffee and also went into some stores. The walk was way longer than expected because we got distracted a lot.

 

I ate dinner at home with my host family, my host dad grilled steaks and chicken. Then we watched a movie with my dear friend Li and I went to bed immediately after she had left. 

Ainoa

Saturday, September 22

Today, I slept until 11am, while my host brother had to get up early to go to a football game. When he came back, we decided to go eat at Taco Bell and, afterwards, check out some thrift stores. At Taco Bell I had a burrito and, obviously, a taco. It was a little bit underwhelming, I must admit, but I was glad that I got to try it. 

The thrift stores we went to were huge and it was impossible to look through all the clothes. I was still successful and found a scarf and a T-shirt.

In the evening, we went to Boda Borg, which is a huge building with a large number of escape rooms. We met some other Swiss and American students there and together we tried to get out of as many escape rooms as possible.

After Boda Borg, an American student invited us over to his house. His mom had prepared a lot of really good food and snacks for us, and there was a pool table in the basement for us to use. He also had two very cute kittens that everyone wanted to pet.

Sunday, September 23 

My day started with a beautiful car ride to another state where we went to the beach. Even though the weather wasn't the best the ocean looked very impressive. The huge waves and the cloudy sky could have come out of a movie. 

After we got tired of the beach, we walked around a small town near the ocean. It had all kinds of shops and restaurants and reminded me of England. We went to two art galleries, and I saw a lot of paintings that inspired me. For a snack we bought the famous New England pastry called 'popover'. 

On the way back home, we stopped at a seafood restaurant and I ordered fried calamari, baby shrimp and clams. It was the best fried seafood I have ever had. 

In the evening we decided to take the commuter rail to Boston. We rented some bikes and rode through the busy city. Even though there were some reckless drivers it was really fun. When it got dark all of the skyscrapers lit up and the view was simply magical.

Lena

The Second Weekend in Reading
Saturday was a calmer day since we were still tired from the football game. Some of us felt a bit groggy, but it wasn’t serious. We had planned to go to Canobie for the Scream Fest, but the rain ruined our plans.

 

Boda Borg

To pass the time, we played board games before heading to Boda Borg in the evening. Boda Borg is a fun escape room experience with 23 themed rooms. We only managed to complete four rooms because they were so challenging. Afterwards, we visited Drew’s place, where we got to hang out with his adorable kittens.

 

 

 

Baseball Game

Sunday started with an exciting Red Sox baseball game. The atmosphere was incredible, as in doing a wave with the crowd, or chanting the musical iconic representation “Sweet Caroline” together, or a guy proposing to his girlfriend on the big screen. It was just unreal!

 

 

 

City Shopping

After the game, we took a short shopping trip for souvenirs. I got my sister a magical quill and bought myself a silver necklace. After what felt like hours of walking, we headed home to relax and prepare for our second week in Boston.

 

Stefan 

I was really excited to wake up on Saturday morning because I went brunching with my guest family! They had so many good things on the menu that I ended up ordering way too much. But it was still one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever eaten in my life, and I would recommend that everyone try the beignets they sell at Christopher’s restaurant!

After that delicious brunch, we went to the mall with a bunch of other friends. It was raining so it was convenient that we went somewhere indoors. I wish we had a mall in Switzerland too because it is very practical to have all the stores you need in a ten-minute walking range.

 

After we ate our burgers at Chilli’s (which were actually soooo good!) we decided to go to a Halloween store called Spirit Halloween. They sell practically every scary costume you could think of. We had so much fun trying everything on and scare each other. But the best part were the giant dolls of different movies, like the corpse bride. When you placed yourself on a certain spot, they would start to speak and move and sometimes they even gave us a jump scare.

 

On Sunday, most of us went to the Red Sox game in Boston. After explaining us the rules while on the train, we were ready to cheer for the Bostonian team. We were able to experience all the treats that are part of going to a baseball game; buying some lemonade from those guys walking along the rows, getting the famous Fenway Frank (their notorious hot dog) and hearing the whole stadium sing Sweet Caroline after the Red Sox won. This was definitely a core memory for all of us who got to go!

Eleonora

Today, the weather has greatly improved from yesterday, meaning we could go to the Red Sox baseball game at Fenway at noon, which I was really excited about. I got to sleep in and was then picked up by Muriel and her host sister Drew. I got to know her parents who told us that Fenway is the oldest baseball stadium in all of America.  

Once there, I met up with my host sister Sophie, who had had a softball game in the morning, and we sat next to everyone and watched the game. Even though I didn't know much about baseball, I picked up the rules quite quickly and it turned out to be really fun. The atmosphere at the stadium was just so enjoyable, with music blasting loudly and everyone cheering. It turned out to be much more fun than football in my opinion.  

Afterwards, the group split up and I went with Li and Ainoa and their host brothers Nolan and Matthew for a walk in Boston. My host sister had to go to work right after, so she wasn't able to come along. We walked past all the places we had seen on our tours during the past week, stopping at the Boston Common park to sit and talk. I have definitely fallen in love with the mixture of modern skyscrapers and the older red-brick buildings in the city. Boston gives me the same vibe as London, another city that I love. The sun was shining and I enjoyed talking to my friends and their host brothers, they're all very cool people.  

  

Then we walked to the train station to go back home, and Nolan's mom met us halfway and dropped me off at home. My host mom came back with Sophie shortly after, and she'd brought me a takeaway meal at the restaurant where Sophie works, called Tavern in The Square. I'd already been there last Sunday with her and my host mom and loved the tater tots, so my host mom brought me those again. I had never had them before coming to America, and they're like French fries but in a circular shape, with different sauces and flavors on them. This was the perfect ending of a unique day.  

  

I've been able to experience many different things over the past few days, none of which I regret at all, but getting home earlier and having some time for myself was good too for a change. I could restore my energy and now I'm looking forward to the things in store for the week to come! 

  

Camilla

Sitting on the train, all still a bit sleepy and exhausted from the days before, we greeted the skyline of Boston again, however today surrounded by fog and rainy clouds, as it was a misty fall day. 

Using the subway and then the bus, we headed to the John F. Kennedy library, a museum dedicated to his life and legacy, highlighting his presidency, personal life and events of the 1960s. I thought it was so interesting to see how many political issues it included, especially during the times of the cold war, with so many global disputes going on like the moon landing, the construction of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Crisis and the reforms of the Civil Rights Movement. 

Afterwards, we got the chance to explore the city on our own for the first time and we used this opportunity to get to know the neighbourhood of East Cambridge. The goal was to find good thrift stores, however it turned out to be harder than we thought, as the only stores we could find were a costume store and a disappointing Goodwill. Yet we ran into a typical American diner, where we sat down and ordered fries, chicken fingers and Coke. The place was exactly how you would imagine a diner to be – red leather booths and a lot of greasy food. It was simply amazing! 

  

  

  

  

On the evening there was a football game at our school. The atmosphere was incredible, the Marching Band were playing upbeat music to energize the crowd, the cheerleaders were dancing using their pompons and the football players were ready to play and determined to win the game. The theme was 'American', so all the students dressed up in blue, red and white, were waving glowsticks or American flags and cheered to motivate the players. Although, I realised that they were actually cheering all the time, even when our team was losing. I don’t really know anything about football and was mostly confused about what was going on on the field, however, when I asked other people to explain it to me, most of them didn’t know how it works either. That’s when I realised that people don’t really come for the game, but more for the spirit and the experience itself. It was so much fun and it felt like I was in an American dream (or maybe simulation?). 

  

Laura

 Strange things happen! An encounter of a special kind…

Today we went to Boston again, but this time our exchange students came along. We walked through the city and got to listen to the interesting presentations that our host sisters and brothers had prepared. It was nice to be in a big group of people and because of that, we could connect with people we hadn't got to interact with before. 

  

After that we went to the State House, where we got to see the chamber of the House of Representatives. It is this tall, beautiful room you can see on the picture. We were told many great stories about the building and the American history by our guide, so we got to learn a lot of new facts. 

The State House has a special bright hall, where we could see the flags of almost all 351 cities of Massachusetts. With a small hint of our guide, we could even find the flag of Reading. We were all amazed by the beautiful colors, I think we could’ve stayed there forever and look at all the different flags. 

  

After some walking, we deserved a break. The American teachers had booked a Duck Tour for all of us. It was similar to a bus, but it could transform into a boat. We got a ride with one of the funniest tour guides ever, probably. He told us many funny stories, but also made sure we could learn something from this unique tour. A bunch of us were allowed to sit on the driver’s seat and take pictures like real captains. It was definitely an unforgettable experience. 

  

Jael

Today was our first official day in Boston. We took the rather shaky train from Reading station and had a 30-minute journey to the capital of Massachusetts. Most of us were still half asleep, reading through the upcoming presentation again. From there, we travelled to the start of the Freedom Trail in Boston Common to give each other a quick update on how our exchange was going. While doing so, lots of squirrels were running around us in the park. 

We followed the Freedom Trail from King's Chapel all the way to Bunker Hill Monument on foot. We took a short break at each landmark and listened to one of the prepared presentations about a character from the period in relation to the monument. Mr Frey usually supplemented it with a few fun facts. Everyone was very creative in their choice of prop and we often laughed together. In the picture we are standing at the site of the Boston Massacre.  

  

After having walked for quite a while, we finally arrived at the last site: the Bunker Hill monument. Everyone was already quite exhausted from all that walking along the Trail and in the sun, unaware that we were only just about to climb the 300 steps up the tower. It was worth the effort though, a bombastic view of the Boston skyline was our reward. The fight for independance (for Americans back in the day and for a group of Swiss students nowadays) and some ambitious teachers was all it took to get 19 teens up the monument. 

  

Most of us ended the day together in a pizza hang out. Camilla's host sister invited everyone to her house to have fun on the trampoline, playing foosball or with hair spray. The atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful and we had a great time. Now I will have the best sleep of my life after doing so much cardio walking. 

  

Elisa