After five essays, two one-hour interviews, and countless presentations, the highly exclusive Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program is awarded to 300 carefully selected US students. Two Poway High students, Max Fairleigh and Cory Francis were hand-picked for this opportunity to be able to live as a student in Germany for a year.
German teacher Elliott Bringman was a part of the program himself when he was younger, and claimed it to be a life-changing experience. He is thrilled for his students to share the same experience. He was exposed to the difficulty of living in an environment where a completely different language is spoken but also claimed that it was an amazing trip.
“I’m most excited for them to experience the culture, history, and friendliness of the Germans,” Bringman said.
Junior Max Fairleigh is one of the two students going to Germany for the upcoming school year. Fairleigh heard about the program as a scholarship, and all expenses are paid for by the government, so he decided “Why not,” and applied. Ironically, the scholarship does not require German and Fairleigh speaks about three words as of now but is a TA in a German 6 class and hopes this opportunity will allow him to learn.
Fortunately for him, the trip begins with a four-week intensive language camp to teach students like Fairleigh to understand and speak the language. However, he was convinced to sign up with the idea of a scholarship and the opportunity available despite the fact he does not speak German.
“I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to know the area I live in,” Fairleigh said.
Unlike Fairleigh, junior Cory Francis has been taking German since he was a freshman and can speak, read, and write in the language, but he’s reached a point where his skills are limited living in the U.S.
“I think this is an amazing opportunity for me to be able to not just take a class but immerse myself within the language,” Francis said.
Both students will be staying with host families and Francis looks forward to not knowing anyone, building a whole new network, and being able to push themselves out of their comfort zone.
Whether they end up with a family in the mountains or emerge in a city, both students will have the opportunity to experience the cultures, lifestyles, and languages of living in Germany.
