The German Bundestag and U.S. Department of State are pleased to announce Katie Lavender as the February Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) U.S. Participant of the Month! Katie, a CBYX High School program participant from Midlothian, Virginia and recruited by CIEE, is hosted by the Brombeis family in Bielefeld, North Rhine Westphalia.
Katie has always loved learning languages and dreamt of living abroad. When she learned of the CBYX program, Katie realized this was her opportunity to learn German in Germany. This was especially important to her because she feels that culture is what gives language life. Furthermore, even if the German language does not end up relating to her future path in life once she returns to the United States, Katie says, “I’m learning life skills I never could have learned in a classroom. Beyond the language, I’m learning to adapt to another country and culture at a young age. I’ve also become more independent and resilient.”
Katie is enjoying living with her host family, a young couple with a dog. Because her host parents are young, Katie feels like they are her host parents and friends. She explains, “They opened their hearts and home to me. It never felt like I was just an exchange student – it felt like I was part of a three-person family from the start.” Katie also says that her host parents are fun and active which has led her to become more active in her community. Katie and her host family are also planning a weeklong hike in the Alps and have been going on smaller hikes to prepare for their trip.
One of Katie’s most rewarding experiences of her program is volunteering at a local school. She helps tutor young children in English, but her favorite activity is having fun while doing crafts with the kids. The school where she volunteers has embraced her, and Katie says, “I now get high fives and hugs while walking down the hallways. Sometimes I even receive small gifts including a few bracelets which I still wear.”
Katie’s time in Germany has taught her that while other ways of living may be different from what she’s used to, they are not wrong. Katie says, “It’s easy to judge things as weird, but I’m experiencing different things that are normal to Germans. You need to experience something before you judge it. My biggest takeaway is that I want to be more openminded, and I’ve learned that Germany is beautifully different.”
Congratulations, Katie!
