The German Bundestag and U.S. Department of State are pleased to announce Brent Conway as the March 2025 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) U.S. Participant of the Month! Brent, a CBYX Vocational program participant from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, and recruited by Nacel Open Door, is hosted in Kuppenheim, Germany by the Lorenz family.
Brent was excited when he first learned about CBYX from his German teacher in Wisconsin. Having taken German since middle school, he deeply connected with the language and culture and was overjoyed when he found out he was accepted.
In his small town of Kuppenheim, Brent is the first American many locals have met. Brent works hard to promote mutual understanding and leave a positive lasting impression wherever he goes. Brent serves as an English teacher and regularly volunteers at the local community center. He loves to share his insights on life in the United States and answer questions that others have. Brent has also delivered presentations on the U.S government, helping locals become more open-minded and knowledgeable on issues facing Americans.
Brent enjoys forming new friendships and finding opportunities to share his culture. Since arriving, he’s educated his German softball teammates on American sports traditions like the seventh-inning stretch and tailgate parties, organized an NFL watch party and taught his coworkers about the rules of American football, and celebrated Thanksgiving with locals. Brent also joined the local youth orchestra and the city orchestra, allowing him to perform throughout the city, learn more about the community, and spend quality time with his host father, who is also a city orchestra member.
Brent’s time in Germany would not be complete if not for his host family. He credits them with not only helping him integrate into the community but also helping him grow as a person. Brent has advanced in his cooking, organization, and auto repair skills from helping his host family with day-to-day tasks. He has also adopted the role of big brother to his host siblings and finally becoming an older sibling.
Being part of CBYX has been a lifechanging experience for Brent. He has become more independent, culturally aware, and confident, while gaining life skills and forging new friendships. Brent plans to continue improving his language skills so that he can eventually read a book in German. After the program, Brent plans to apply the lessons he’s learned back home, keep in touch with the life-long friends he’s made, and eventually come back and visit.
Congratulations, Brent!