This is a blog about my year in Germany with the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals, or the Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Programm für junge Berufstätige. I will be spending this year in three different phases: language school in Cologne in August and September, schooling from October to February, and an internship or Praktikum from February until my program ends in July. Then I have two weeks to go travel anywhere I would like in Europe- color me stoked.
Before I left, I got a number of questions and reactions about this program. People asked me if I was excited; they told me this was going to be an amazing, exciting, fun, and all of the above experience. While this is all true and I am excited, I had trouble ever experiencing a honeymoon phase regarding this program, because I truly loved my friends, family, work and life in Seattle, and I did not fancy leaving that.
However, I believe in venturing beyond my comfort zone. I believe that it is the best way to challenge one’s values, identity and confidence in themselves. So although I will deeply miss my home, friends, family, language and life back in Seattle, I know that I will grow a lot from this year. I know that this year will teach me a lot about who I am and what I want in life, and it will challenge me to grow beyond what I currently know.
So this blog is meant to share of all of the new experiences, people I meet, places I travel and sights that I see while I am in Germany. I am so excited for this year.
Before I left, I got a number of questions and reactions about this program. People asked me if I was excited; they told me this was going to be an amazing, exciting, fun, and all of the above experience. While this is all true and I am excited, I had trouble ever experiencing a honeymoon phase regarding this program, because I truly loved my friends, family, work and life in Seattle, and I did not fancy leaving that.
However, I believe in venturing beyond my comfort zone. I believe that it is the best way to challenge one’s values, identity and confidence in themselves. So although I will deeply miss my home, friends, family, language and life back in Seattle, I know that I will grow a lot from this year. I know that this year will teach me a lot about who I am and what I want in life, and it will challenge me to grow beyond what I currently know.
So this blog is meant to share of all of the new experiences, people I meet, places I travel and sights that I see while I am in Germany. I am so excited for this year.