The German Bundestag and U.S. Department of State are pleased to announce Lucy Brumfiel as the April Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) U.S. Participant of the Month! Lucy, a CBYX High School program participant from Norwood, CO and recruited by CIEE, is hosted by the Kögel family in Dinklage, Niedersachsen.
Lucy’s history teacher at Yulee High School in Florida initially inspired her to apply for the CBYX program by sharing his experiences as a diplomat and talking about U.S. Department of State high school exchange program opportunities. Following a move to El Paso, Texas, she was further inspired by new multi-lingual friends, including an exchange student that her family temporarily hosted. The experience as a host sibling cemented Lucy’s determination to do a year abroad with the CBYX program.
Her exchange year is one of exploration. In the United States, Lucy is the youngest of four children, but in her German family she is the oldest of four. Lucy has a wonderful time engaging in activities with her younger siblings and regularly enjoys games such as Memory with her 4 year-old host sister. Her host sister identifies objects on the cards in English and Lucy shares the German version. She also strives to improve her German languages skills by watching the nightly news with her host parents. Not only can Lucy understand much more of the news, but she chats in German with her host parents about current events. Lucy is proud that her German skills have come a long way since the program’s introductory language camp during her first month in Germany!
Once a week her family hosts coffee and cake for relatives. Lucy looks forward to this weekly gathering, where she is able to discuss American politics and the upcoming U.S. elections with her extended host family. To ensure the conversation stays sweet, she uses her baking skills to supply some of the treats, including New York style cheesecake and chocolate chip cookies.
Outside of home, Lucy is enjoying playing soccer with the local football club and getting to know her classmates at school. She notes “I was surprised how interested and educated my classmates are about American life and talking with my German friends has really caused me to think about my own country in a new light.”
When her host school required a practical internship, Lucy jumped at the chance to experience the hospitality industry in Germany and worked for three weeks at the Dinklage Hotel. During the internship, Lucy joined her German counterparts for training sessions, which provided a lot of information about the various positions within the German hospitality industry.
In March, Lucy met with her Bundestag mentor Silvia Breher in her district office in Cloppenburg, Germany. Ms. Breher explained a bit about the German political system and the CDU party. She also brought Lucy along to various seminars about women in politics. Lucy is hoping for a future internship with Ms. Breher if time and scheduling permit.
Congratulations Lucy!
