A new country, a new hobby, a new lifestyle. For foreign exchange student Cora Bay, coming to America was only the beginning.

Bay is participating in an exchange program and came from Germany to attend Granite Bay High School as a senior. Yet, one decision has changed her entire experience: to participate in the Emerald Brigade Marching Band.

Bay, who celebrated her 16th birthday in May, traveled all the way to Granite Bay from her hometown in Stuttgart, Germany. In Stuttgart, she attended Moenchsee Gymnasium Heilbronn, a school that specialized in music.

“[At home] we had four, five, or six different classes in a day and our schedules switched each day, instead of like [Granite Bay] where we have the same four classes every day”. Bay and other students attending Moenchsee Gymnasium Heilbronn chose how intensely they wanted to study music, but all students are required to take classes about general music history and theory.

“We sang a lot, and we had to learn how to play instruments too”. With her classmates, Bay learned how to sing and play several percussive and orchestral instruments. To leap from a German music school to a new society, let alone a new high school and school schedule is a big change. But where did this change originally come from?

“I saw flyers at my school, and I was offered a scholarship, and I thought it would be interesting and fun to see the other side of the world”. Bay is participating in the CIEE program (Council on International Educational Exchange) and is living with Barbara and Dan Ford, whose two sons are graduates of Granite Bay.

Bay was very excited to experience American culture, but she admitted she does miss her parents and friends.

“I was really excited, but the very last hour of the airplane ride I was the most nervous person in the world”. She didn’t quite know what to expect, naturally, and it was a big change for her. After all, she was going to be completely submerged into a new language, a new culture, a new school, and a new lifestyle.

Adding to her nerves was the fact that her zero and first period class was listed as Marching Band.

Bay had never participated in marching band, and seeing as they don’t have American football in Germany, didn’t know what to expect. Her host family had been highly involved in band, which is how Bay got signed up.

“The Fords asked me if I would like to join marching band, and my first reaction was ‘Oh gosh!’, but I finally thought yeah, it would be fun to meet new people”. Little did she know, it would affect her entire experience in Granite Bay.

The Emerald Brigade band director Lynn Kulikowski decided it would be best for Bay to be a part of the percussion section, specifically to play in the pit.

“I thought that having practices [every day] would be boring, but it’s actually really fun rehearsing with the pit”, Bay said with a smile on her face. The Emerald Brigade is known to be one giant family, and Bay has definitely recognized that.

“It’s like we’re one big family. Everyone is friendly, and everyone helps you if you need it”. Bay has been welcomed into the band with open arms, and is now part of the family.

Pit section leader Matt Sazima said “She is really awesome. She has a really good attitude without being extreme, and she’s funny.”

Looking back, Bay admitted she was uneasy about joining marching band and wasn’t too sure if she would enjoy it.

“I learned that it’s good to try new things. You can say whether you like something or not. It has made me a lot more open-minded.” The Emerald Brigade has taught her not only how to march and improve her playing, but it’s given her a new outlook on life. If she never took the chance to try something new, Bay would have never realized what she was missing.

Now that she has been affected by Granite Bay’s own marching band, it will continue to affect her when she goes back home to Germany.

“I want to continue in music, but I’m not sure what I’m going to do.” Bay said that marching band has influenced her to get more involved in music at home.

“We don’t really have marching bands at home because we don’t have American football. But I remember seeing a marching band in a parade for a cultural event one time, so I will try to get involved.”

As far as getting involved here in Granite Bay, Bay and the rest of the Emerald Brigade family performed their first show at the Bonfire Rally on October 9th. They also participated in their first competition of the year at the Oakmont Festival of Music on Saturday, October 11th.

“I’m really excited for the first show, but I’m very nervous if it will sound good all in all.” Bay and the rest of the Emerald Brigade had two very successful shows, placing in 1st at the Oakmont Festival of Music.

By Alison Sale, Granite Bay High School