High School USA Blog
Wo wir zu Hause sind
What is it like moving to the other side of the world and joining a random family? It‘s insane, frightening, and wild . As the train that took me to... keep reading
Lorenzo's Food Favorites, Part 1
Three weeks ago, I took a 7-hour series of trains westward from my CBYX language camp at Kloster Hedersleben to my new home in a tiny village called Hamminkeln, near... keep reading
Volle Fahrt!
“Vrooom” the jet engines whirled to life. The flight finally was beginning. For the last hour and a half, we had been sitting at the gate, waiting for the plane... keep reading
Country Roads, Take Me Home…to Hedersleben?
My group of 50 CBYX students is doing our intensive German language camp at a former Cistercian monastery in the town of Hedersleben, about two hours northwest of Leipzig. It’s... keep reading
My Dorm Was Built When?
Today marks one week of "Language Camp" at Schloss Wittgenstein, a castle built in the 1100s and converted into a boarding school in the 1900s. Like many buildings in Europe... keep reading
A Saturday Handball Adventure
The morning after the high school dance I attended with my new German friends, I headed over to the house where we’d had the pre-party to pick up a few... keep reading
Pre-Departure Reminders
Note: Written on June 17th, published on August 12th. Fifty one days until I wake up, pile my earthly belongings into the car, and say goodbye to the United States–the... keep reading
Public Service Announcement: Register to Vote & Get Your Absentee Ballot
While I was away working as a counselor at summer camp, I hit a milestone - I turned 17 years and 10 months old. It's a milestone because in Texas... keep reading
West Texas to Germany: Final Preparations
I'm sitting in the airport in Portland, Maine, having just finished my last few college tours. Getting ready to send in all my applications before I leave. While I am... keep reading
Preparing for Departure
Guten Tag! I'm Briana, and I'm beyond excited to share that in just under 50 days, I'll be touching down in Germany for an unforgettable year abroad. It's surreal to... keep reading
Counting Down the Days to a Year in Germany
Hi everyone! I’m Salem, and this year I’m going to be blogging about my experiences in Germany with CBYX. A little about me: I’m a rising junior. I’m a total... keep reading
Komm mit mir auf große Fahrt!
Can one really pack a year’s worth of clothes in a single suitcase? I still can not fully believe that I am even considering this. Just the thought of this... keep reading
Before the Flight: Preparing for My Exchange Year
In my first blog post, I discuss my thoughts about leaving home for a whole year, what I am looking forward to, and what I have been doing to prepare.
Czeched Out (Exchange to Prague)
It has now been ten months since I and so many others stepped on the plane headed to Germany. As the days pass by in the blink of an eye, I can only think of one German phrase that seems to capture the feeling of it all: Jetzt geht's richtig los.