A Week with Our Friends from Sheboygan South High School

During the week of March 23, the Schengen Lyzeum in Perl welcomed a group of eleven students and four teachers from Sheboygan South High School. The visit was filled with classroom exchanges, cultural discovery and shared activities that brought students from both countries closer together — and, most importantly, lots of laughter, curious questions and new friendships.

Monday – Welcome and School Tour

On Monday our headmistress, Mrs. Zenner, gave the American guests a guided tour of the Schengen Lyzeum. She presented the unique German–Luxembourgish structure of our binational school and explained how the two systems work together. After the tour, the visiting students joined lessons across different classes to compare teaching styles and classroom life — a lively opportunity to see where lessons are similar and where they differ. Several students later said that the mix of languages in the corridors and the friendly “Moien!” (the local word for hello) greetings were their first signs that this week would be something special.

Tuesday – Team Building and History

Tuesday began with experiential learning and team-building games that helped break the ice and strengthen connections between students. It didn’t take long before mixed teams were cheering each other on by first name. In the afternoon the group visited the Schengen Museum, where a guided tour introduced them to the historical background and significance of the Schengen Agreement. A few of our guests told us they’d only heard “Schengen” in the context of visas — seeing where it all began made the concept suddenly feel very real.

Wednesday – Scavenger Hunt in Trier

On Wednesday the students took part in a city scavenger hunt through historic Trier. Highlights included exploring the city centre and marvelling at the Porta Nigra, the iconic 2nd-century Roman city gate. Students from both schools navigated cobblestone streets together, deciphering clues and debating routes — with more than a few wrong turns that turned out to be happy accidents. The scavenger-hunt format encouraged teamwork, problem solving and a fun way to take in the Roman and medieval landmarks.

Thursday – A Day in Luxembourg City

Thursday was left for independent exploration: the American students made their way independently to Luxembourg City to visit the National Art and History Museum. They also participated in a guided tour of the Vauban fortress and learned more about its design and strategic purpose. After a shared lunch in the city, they spent the afternoon strolling through the Old Town, doing some souvenir shopping and enjoying the atmosphere — a relaxed day that let them experience Luxembourgish city life at their own pace.

Friday – Back in Class and Cross-Cultural Exchange

On Friday, our guests jumped back into lesson shadowing — this time joining English classes and teaming up with our students for group activities. Everyone hit it off so well that they were even given permission to sit out a maths period to keep the conversations going. The best feedback came from a student who said, “It felt like we’d known each other for ages, not days!”
In the evening, a farewell dinner took place at the school, with students and parents contributing to a rich buffet filled with traditional dishes. Everyone took time to share a meal, play games and swap impressions of the week.

Weekend and Farewell

After a warm weekend with their host families — board games, shared meals and plenty of cultural comparisons — the students and teachers from Sheboygan South continued their journey to Paris. Sending them off with full stomachs, warm memories and a few extra kilos of local specialities seemed like the very least we could do.

We were delighted to share our school, region and culture with our visitors, and we’re already looking forward to the return visit. A heartfelt thank-you to all staff, host families and students who made the exchange week such a memorable experience — proof that learning together builds bridges that reach far beyond the classroom.