Manitoba Teachers of GermanMANITOBA – HAMBURG – 3 Month Exchange Program
2026/2027 MTG Germany Exchange is currently underway!
On September 1, 2026, we welcomed 11 students from Hamburg, Germany, to Manitoba. During our Orientation Retreat, students got to know each other and participated in a variety of activities. From canoeing and hiking in the Canadian Shield to names games and a variety show, students connected across the cultures and learn that intercultural exchange is important and can be fun, too!
2027/2028 MTG Germany Exchange Information
Grade 10 students who are currently enrolled in German and are interested in learning more about the Manitoba Teachers of German Manitoba-Hamburg German Exchange Program are invited.
There will be an Information Night on Monday, November 9th, at 6:00 pm at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate (86 West Gate, Room 133).
Both the interested student and their parent/guardian should plan to attend this important meeting where they will receive important details about the application process.
Please RSVP to Gabrielle Bishop Wiebe. We will then be able to keep you updated if there is a room or time change.
If you have any questions, please contact a member of the committee with any questions:
Gabrielle Bishop Wiebe (gbw@westgatemennonite.org)
Megan Bradshaw (mbradshaw2@retsd.mb.ca)
Manitoba Application Deadline is December 2, 2026 (for the 2027/2028 School Year).
Successful Manitoba Applicants will then move on to the Joint Manitoba/Hamburg Matching Application. The Matching Application deadline is January 25, 2026.
General information on the exchange can be found on the Government of Manitoba website:
https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/ie/domestic/gm_exch.html
Previous Exchange Groups:
Ava: “I think I have gained more cultural awareness. Germany is socially different and it helped me to reflect on our own culture. I think that it is important to learn about the perspectives of others and to become less narrow minded.”
Marcos: “The amount of speaking and learning, and being exposed to the language, caused my German to grow exponentially. I think this program is so valuable because it helps people to not only learn a language, but to broaden their horizons. It challenges stereotypes as well as allowing people to learn about another culture, language, and way of life.”
Carson: “This program is valuable because it helps you in all aspects of yourself. You gain educational knowledge about the world and yourself. You get to experience many things that will help you as an adult and get a taste of being independent and responsible for yourself. At first I struggled with finding adventure and doing things on my own, but eventually I grew more confident. My German improved a lot while I was there. I heard so much German and made an effort to speak it especially with my host family. I also learned that I’m a good problem solver and became better at making connections and talking to new people. The experience gave me more perspective and to see how people from different places are not so different, yet still unique. You will always find kind people wherever you go.”
Jaycee: “I would definitely recommend this program to future students. It may seem nerve wracking at first and you may be pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, but in the end, it is definitely worth it.”
Andreas: “My German improved greatly while I was in Hamburg. I think it improved mainly due to the immersive nature of the exchange. I think it’s valuable because I think learning about other languages and cultures is important, and there is no better place to learn about a culture and language than in the country of its origin.”
Amalia: “This experience definitely gave me a chance to go out of my comfort zone and showed me that even if I’m not sure exactly how things will go, I’m more resilient than I thought and can be flexible and adapt and still have fun.
I believe this program is very valuable for many different reasons. First, the language learning opportunities it provides are great. Being immersed in a language 24/7 is, in my opinion, the best way to improve. Second, this program opens up people’s horizons beyond their own communities and shows them a different way of life that they can maybe learn from. For example, kids get to experience a different school system, a different way of learning. Third, it teaches kids important independence skills. In Hamburg, there would often be times where I would be alone, because my exchange partner was busy doing other things, so I quickly learned how to use the public transport to go places.
I would recommend it, because I think it can really help shape young people into independent, capable adults and provide them with a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
