Having studied international relations and German politics in college, Dominic has admired the U.S.-Germany relationship. After learning about CBYX at work, Dominic was excited to pursue this opportunity to live and learn in Germany. Prior to his CBYX year, Dominic spoke very little German and found himself quickly challenged as he rigorously studied the language. Despite initial challenges in communicating, Dominic found it easy to make friends upon arrival in Germany. He says that one of the wonderful things about Germans is that they are “incredibly friendly and welcoming.” Some of his favorite moments include witnessing a live debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France and sharing Thanksgiving traditions with his newfound friends!
While living in Germany, Dominic has not only taken time to learn about the local culture but has actively embraced it. Dominic partnered with a local university professor, Dr. Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer, to launch a podcast called, “Linguistics Behind the Scenes” (available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube), which explores the English and German languages in a light-hearted way. After the European Union honored Dominic’s host city of Chemnitz as a 2025 European Capital of Culture, Dominic proposed and helped implement projects to showcase the city’s culture for international visitors. He has also gotten to speak in Saarbrücken with members of a local political party, helping them to better understand the U.S. political and legal systems. Dominic is an outstanding citizen ambassador wherever he goes, helping others understand more about the United States, all while also celebrating local German history and culture.
Reflecting on his time in Germany, Dominic shared, “When you live abroad, it deepens your compassion for people you will never meet. Everyone has a life as rich and complex as yours,” and that this helps us better understand the global impact of our choices. He noted that the United States and Germany share many similarities and “there’s a lot that unites us.” This year in Germany is only the beginning of an exciting journey for Dominic, who aspires to someday be a foreign service officer. Before he wraps up his time on CBYX, he plans to continue exploring as much of the country as he can and developing life-long friendships along the way!
