Benedict Bendlin

German foreign exchange student Benedict Bendlin was able to experience school spirit for the first time at the pep rally on Aug. 19. While watching the pep rally, he was amazed by how large the Fieldhouse was. Back in his school in Lüneburg, Germany, it only consisted of classes and very little sports.
‘We just go to school, to go to school,’’ Bendlin said.
He remembers watching a girls volleyball game in the gym, and it sparked the idea of trying out for the boys volleyball team. He has also been playing volleyball in a club for the past five years.
Bendlin has traveled around since he came to SHS. He visited the canal in downtown Indianapolis with his host mother where a stranger ended up having a casual conversation with him. He was shocked. In Germany, it is not usual for strangers to talk amongst one another.
“I was like, ‘I do not know you. Why are you talking to me?’ Yet it’s completely normal. I think it’s completely different,’’ Bendlin said.
Although Bendlin might have culture shock to small things such as speaking to strangers, he loves American music.
Sophomore Carter McDonough found out that he was going to have Bendlin in his house as an exchange student six months ago. His mother had the idea of hosting an exchange student because her family hosted.
‘‘He’s interesting. He’s quite the character,’’ McDonough said.