German Exchange Student Enjoying Sunnyside High

Bjarne Nass is an exchange student from Mulheim, Germany who has immersed himself in Sunnyside High School's activities and is enjoying learning about American culture and sharing his culture.

Bjarne -- who goes by BJ -- is among dozens of exchange students from various programs who live with host families in Fresno and attend Fresno Unified high schools.

He has enjoyed getting to know "how the kids live here, how the school is and how this country is. I like PE, sports, and math. I will never forget this time," he said.

At Sunnyside, BJ is taking photography, physiology, AP English literature, Algebra/Geometry III, and American government. The most challenging class he's encountered is American government.

"There are so many hard vocabulary words to know," BJ said. "I try to put it in my own words so I can understand."

When he returns to Germany in June he will have to make up the school year he missed but will have vastly improved his English skills.

BJ has attended all of Sunnyside's football games, finding them "fast and very professional, like the NFL." BJ tried out for soccer and made the varsity team. In Germany, sports and activities are private and not part of the school day so BJ is really excited to play soccer for Sunnyside.

His Sunnyside classmates have introduced him to lots of new food, including tacos -- which he finds "really delicious."

In addition to school and sports activities, he enjoys helping out at home with his host family and tries to stay in touch with his mom and dad back home -- sometimes difficult with the nine hour time difference.