For the second time since its inception, The Fernie Academy (TFA) has hosted a group of exchange students from Germany. On September 29, accompanied by their teachers Martin Keller and Hauke Bestmann, 23 German students flew over from Bad Krozingen, a small town in the Black Forest. The students stayed for more than two weeks with TFA host families in Fernie and the surrounding area and attended school almost every day.
The German group toured the City of Fernie and went on fieldtrips to Frank Slide, Waterton, and Fort Steele. Between Pincher Creek and Waterton they overnighted at The Great Canadian Barn Dance, a fantastic venue featuring hearty homemade food, dancing, as well as camping out overnight on a barn floor. A fun volleyball tournament comprised of mixed teams of Canadians and Europeans was held on Saturday, and all German students could be found volunteering with their Academy counterparts at The Fernie Half Marathon Sunday morning.
TFA students will travel to Germany in late April 2014 where they will be hosted by the families of these same students for just over two weeks.