Why did you decide to study abroad with CBYX in Germany?
Since I was a sophomore in high school I knew I wanted to study abroad. I wanted to go to Germany because I had studied one year of German in school and I had German exchange students staying at my house before, but I wasn't opposed to studying in other countries. I happened to choose CBYX because it was a full scholarship. My family couldn't afford to send me abroad. They wanted me to wait until I was in college.
When I won the scholarship, there was nothing standing in my way of getting the immersive cultural experience I'd dreamed of. I wanted to see what life was like outside of my small town on Cape Cod. I've always been interested in writing, so I really enjoyed writing the essays for the scholarship. I also enjoyed blogging about my experience while I was in Germany. For me, living in Germany was all about making connections, celebrating our differences and similarities, and understanding life from another perspective.
What made your study abroad experience unique and special?
My host family made my study abroad experience unique and special. It was challenging at first. When I got my host family I realized that I would be the only teenager in the house. My host parents were young, in their thirties, and my host siblings were 4 and 9 years old. I eventually became great friends with my host family. As a seventeen year old, I didn't know how to make friends with adults. My host parents were my first real connection with adults, besides my own parents. That made the experience special to me. I became more open towards new perspectives, old and young, as well as German and American. I learned that there is no limit to understanding. Empathy is available to everyone.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Everything about my experience in Germany has impacted my future. Because of my experience in Germany, I am enthusiastic about travel and world cultures. I am not afraid to go to new countries and make new connections. I have a better understanding of humanity, because I have experienced life outside of the United States. I go to Hampshire College, an institution known for experimenting in alternative education. My choice to go to this school and study non-fiction writing and cultural anthropology was highly influenced by my experience with CBYX in Germany.
I believe that experiences like studying abroad are critical for personal growth and cultural understanding. If you can put yourself in the shoes of a German, you can put yourself in anyone's shoes. Like I said before, there is no limit to understanding. You don't have to be a German to empathize with someone from Germany. A large part of my studies at Hampshire is promoting understanding through writing about my experiences of other cultures abroad.
