It's Official: I am Spending my Sophomore Year in Germany!

For as long as I can remember, I have lived through books. My family does not have the money to travel, so I read about the world. I am not old enough to go to parties, so I experience them through my favorite protagonists. I spend my summers working, so I joined my favorite characters on Martha’s Vineyard. I have spent so much of my life living through a book, so I am excited to announce I get to start my adventure pretty soon.

This August, I will be leaving the states to study abroad in Germany. Traveling has been a life-long goal of mine, and I am so grateful I can begin at such a young age. I can not wait to learn German, try new foods, see new places, and experience German culture. My year abroad will be a life-changing experience, and I want to take you along the best I can. Many YouTube videos and blog posts inspired me to apply for my student abroad scholarship, the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship. I hope that I can also inspire some wanderlust in my readers and provide hope for future applicants.

Without CBYX, I would never be able to travel, let alone study abroad for an entire year. I dreamed of traveling for a long time, but it always felt like something I was waiting for to happen. Never in a million years would I have thought I could start seeing the world at age fifteen. I am forever grateful for this opportunity, and I fully believe that this will change my life.

At this point, you are probably waiting for me to get into the details. I do not know a lot as of now, but I can share a few details. Firstly, I will arrive in Germany on August 22nd, which is three months away!! I also know that we will not have an in-person language camp this year, so I will be doing it virtually while staying with my host family. Lastly, I know that I have a lot of work to do before I leave this August!

Lastly, I want to thank my parents for letting me dream big and chaise this opportunity. I want to thank my teachers for inspiring and encouraging me, and I want to thank my friends for giving me the confidence and courage to leave home. I also want to encourage anyone thinking about applying to CBYX. Just apply. I promise you will not regret it.