Where are you from and what do you do?
I am originally from Austin, Texas, where I attended the Liberal Arts and Science Academy, a magnet school in Austin on the campus of the LBJ Early College High School. I currently live in Washington, D.C. and work for the Representative of German Industry & Trade (RGIT). Initially, I was working for RGIT part-time while I did my Master of Arts (MA), Political Science and Government with UNC Chapel Hill, and now full-time with RGIT since August 2021 in DC. I focus on government relations on behalf of German industry managing the tech policy portfolio in America that ranges from Artificial Intelligence and semiconductor to broadband and data privacy.
When and why did you take part in the GAPP exchange program?
I was lucky enough to have German offered in my high school. It was a known benefit of taking the language that you would be able to participate in a German exchange program, so in 2009, when I was 16, I traveled to Germany for three weeks. Unlike taking Spanish or French, there are not many opportunities to practice with native speakers. GAPP provided this and, of course, a chance to travel and experience the country on a different level than as a tourist.
What did you imagine Germany to be like? Did it live up to your expectations?
I was in touch with my exchange partner, Gregor, before I left and we became pen pals, in part, to practice my German. He lived in former East Berlin, which added an extra layer of ‘foreignness’ to me and immediately furthered my fascination with the history of the city. Being 16, you don’t have many expectations. We had watched a few movies in German class. All the pop-culture references always portrayed war movies or spy stories veiled in intrigue and cold war associations. When I went visited Berlin in 2009, it was known for the Berlin Wall and techno. But arriving, it was a vibrant, multi-cultural city full of people living everyday lives.
Tell us about your experience, where did you stay in Germany?
The exchange program in Germany was a total of three weeks. I stayed with my German host family for two weeks in Berlin, where I attended school for two to three days each week. We also traveled to Dresden. My host family was very gracious and kind despite me having only two years of German language prior to my stay. They lived in a borough of Berlin called Lichtenberg, close to the school.
In what ways was the teaching style similar or different to an American school?
Most of the actual teaching style is the same, but perhaps on a different timetable. One memory I have was while attending a chemistry class where they were balancing equations. Although, I had previously learned it at my high school and was able to demonstrate how to balance equations, I had no idea what the name of the elements were in German. Thus, etching into my memory that hydrogen was called ‘Wasserstoff’.
Pick one memory during your time that sticks out or that you remember fondly?
Actually, I have two!
While I was in Dresden, me and some other exchange students hung out in the park, as most German youths typically do, and a group of polka musicians rode up on bicycles with their instruments on their backs and began to perform upbeat polka music. It was so unexpected, but amazing at the same time.
Another funny story from my time while attending the school in Berlin happened midst a math class. I had just finished pre-calc and was familiar with the graphs, so I could follow the math - but not the German. As it was now my summer holiday, I did not feel overly enthusiastic about completing the assignment. The teacher approached me saying “Na, willst du nicht mitmachen?” (“Don’t you want to participate?”) and I replied in my Texas Longhorn T-shirt “Nein, ich komme aus Texas” (“No, I’m from Texas”). Everyone was amused, including the teacher.
What aspects of German lifestyle did you enjoy?
While traveling in Berlin there is such a feeling of freedom that is hard to quantify, but you feel you can be whoever you want to be. Being in that atmosphere was truly liberating. Even though the city is massive, it is so easy to get around.
The ‘Berliners’ aren’t known for being exceptionally friendly, but once you immerse yourself, there is a feeling of community and ‘Zusammenhalt’ (togetherness). I found comfort in our common values that were so familiar in a foreign context. Also I have to add, that I am truly the most ‘German’ of my friends to begin with, in that if you tell me a time to show up at a party, I will always be the first one there. So maybe adjusting to German lifestyle was not that hard for me.
Looking back, how did that experience shape your current path both personally and professionally?
I stuck with German post-high school and have continued to engage with various exchange opportunities. During my undergrad at American University in DC, I studied abroad in Berlin. After this I did an internship in at the Bundestag in the German parliament. I then received a DAAD scholarship for my MA and now I work in a German American context every day. The GAPP program, being the first tangible experience, allowed me to understand the possible. Germany became more of a three-dimensional country from having this experience. It became conceivable to live in a foreign country long-term, not just as a tourist.
On a personal level, I experiencedhad true independence for the first time in my young adult life. From a practical standpoint, if you live in an American city where it necessitates driving, until you have a license, you can’t go anywhere without an adult. But in a city (like Berlin) with amazing public transportation, you have the freedom to meet up with people in other places at the drop of a hat.
What advice would you give to a student who is about to participate in the GAPP exchange?
Get past your fear of making mistakes and feeling uncomfortable! Take the risk of expressing yourself, it will make your experience much more valuable.
On a side note, it is common to be a bit confused regarding the reserved seating on German trains. The only time I found my ‘foreignness’ stand out was when I was on the train to Dresden. There was a complete miscommunication regarding the seats we had reserved, so we quickly had to ask our German teacher for help with a rather frustrated German.
*Note from editorial staff: it is completely common to experience confusion about the emotional impact reserved seating has amongst German passengers:)
