For junior Berliner Nick Kaps, the plane ride coming to America was both scary and interesting as he was on his way to Kansas City last August. He couldn’t believe that he would be living in this country all alone without his family for 9 months.

“Actually having to face this moment was very scary, going to this foreign land,” said Kaps. “I’ve been scared to ride airplanes since I was a little kid because of the stories I had heard.”

He arrived in America not knowing much about it besides what he was told during the plane ride by the person next to him.

Berlin is a popular international city, but it’s also a dangerous place to live. For Kaps, Kansas City is the complete opposite.

“I come from a city with many bad things going on, so this place is like Disneyland to me,” he said.

Kaps wishes that there were more things going on in Kansas City for a teenager to do, and that one of his siblings came here with him.

“I find it very difficult not being able to do the things I did in Berlin, and also it’s harder for me to keep in contact with my family being so far away from me, but I will be able to survive.”