A Kentlake graduate has taken advantage of a special educational opportunity to expand her knowledge and understanding of the world.

Christina Harris, who graduated from Kentlake in 2008 and lives in Covington, spent the last year living in Germany and touring the Europe.

She lived in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg in the town of Bisingen.

The 19-year-old Harris went to Germany as part of an exchange program when she was attending Kentlake. She stayed with the Heller family.

“I wanted to learn more about the culture so I went back for a year,” Harris said. “Their daughter (Sonya) is my age. We were really good friends and we became sisters. My host mother called me her third daughter. They even built me a separate room. That was really nice of them.”

Harris said she studied German at Kentlake, but after “two months staying in Germany I learned more German than two years in schools.” She said many of the people from the area spoke a Schwäbisch dialect of German.

She said Sonya spoke English with her the first two weeks, “Then I had to learn. Sometimes (German) friends would asks me something in English and I would speak to them in German because I wanted to learn.”

Harris said the family’s grandmother, Oma, cooked for them everyday, “lots of noodles, sauce and potatoes.”

During the year in Germany Harris visited Croatia, Italy, Austria, Scotland and other areas of the European continent.

She also attended a community college in Germany.

“There were a lot of people from other countries,” Harris said. “They may think we are big brother that needs to let others grow. It was funny to see everyone thought their country is best. It’s nice to see all have pride in their country.”

Harris said the festivals were impressive events for her.

“In the south they celebrate faschings (festivals) during the season of carnival,” Harris said. It’s like Halloween, but three weeks long.”

Harris said people wore “100-year-old masks, I thought it was so cool.”

She said “everyone was really nice. People say the Germans are distant, but they are really accepting. It is a good country.”

Harris is attending Green River Community College and concentrating her studies right now on the medical field, but she said may turn to teaching later.

“I was hoping to look into being a German teacher,” Harris said. “I think it is important for people to learn about other cultures.”