By MEGAN SMITH

Staff Writer

When Sascha Poeschl, a junior architecture major, was in Munich, Germany, he dreamed about visiting America.

"I was just really excited about America," Poeschl said. "I learned about America and wanted to go there."

Poeschl first got the opportunity to come to America when he spent his senior year in Pitkin, a town south of Alexandria, as part of a foreign exchange program.

He had to overcome some roadblocks while getting used to American culture.

Learning how to speak English was not very difficult for Poeschl because he said he had taken six years of British English in school.

"It took about six weeks to be able to understand and speak in English," Poeschl said. "But I still say some funny things, though."

He said now a lot of people cannot even tell he is from Germany.

"I worked really hard on the dialect in order to blend in," he said.

Poeschl said he really enjoyed his time in Pitkin and decided to go to Tech.

"I always wanted to do architecture, and there were too many architects back home," he said. "I heard the architecture program here was very good, so I decided to come [to Tech]."

From his environmental woes about Americans to his feelings toward the choices America offers, Poeschl shared some of the experiences that have shaped his life.

He said he was very open to American culture and was eager to learn and assimilate.

Poeschl said one big change that occurred when he came to America was becoming a Christian.

"People really do not go to church in Munich," he said. "When I went home after becoming a Christian, everyone thought I had joined a cult."

He said his family understands now, but it is one thing that has changed his life in many ways.

However, there are still some things he thinks are done better in Germany.

"People here are not as economically conservative as we are in Munich," he said. "I was very surprised to see all-in-one trash garbage cans and Styrofoam plates."

Poeschl said he is sad when he sees forests being cleared and people littering and hopes people will realize how important the environment is.

"Munich is the most environmental city," he said. "One example is we use paper plates when we barbecue because we do not want to use the Styrofoam plates."

Despite this, Poeschl said he is thankful of the time he has spent in America and would like to stay, but that all depends on him becoming a citizen.

"There are many opportunities in America, and in Germany people do not have the choices they have here in America," Poeschl said.

Poeschl said one thing he would tell people is to be open-minded and not to judge the people of a country on their leaders, but instead on the people.

"This is for other international students and for Americans who throw everyone in Europe into a big pot and think they are one way," Poeschl said. "Instead, you need to look at the people and be open to accepting."