“Germany is a more romantic place than America,” says Sandra W, age 17.

Sandra started A------- High School, in September, as an exchange student from Stuttgart, Germany. Leaving Germany was hard. But leaving her serious boyfriend Marcel S, age 18, was even harder.

Marcel and Sandra met at school. They were friends for 2 years before they started dating.

“We were in the same group of friends,” says Sandra.

On July 19th, Sandra had a going away party and some of her friends spent the night. Marcel was one of them.

“In Germany, parents are ok with boys and girls spending the night together,” says Sandra.

Marcel and Sandra stayed up for four hours talking that night and have been together ever since.

“In Germany we don’t ask out. If we like each other we kiss and then talk about if we want a relationship.”

Marcel and Sandra have been together for five months now, and haven’t fought yet.

“He’s always so nice to me, he can make me laugh. He’s such a gentleman. I can really talk to him,” says Sandra.

Distance is not a problem for this integral couple.

“We email every day. We talk on the phone once a week and he writes letters to me every month.”

Marcel and Sandra want to live together after high school. When asked if she knew where they would live Sandra said, “New York. That’s where I want to go to college.”